Cracking of a carbon steel shell from a chemical plant and superaustenitic stainless steel are discussed. The carbon steel shell failed due to stress corrosion cracking (SCC). Fatigue cracking accelerated by the environment led to the failure of a superaustenitic stainless steel component. The morphology of the fracture surfaces are presented. The samples were examined using scanning electron microscopy/x-ray energy dispersive analysis, stereomicroscopy and optical metallography techniques.
Keywords: intergranular SCC, carbon steel, nitrate, fatigue cracking, superaustenitic stainless steel, chloride.