To examine the relationship between corrosion and crack growth rate, stress corrosion cracking
(SCC) tests of nickel-based alloys were carried out under the simulated conditions of a pressurized
water reactor. The crack growth rate of Alloy 600 was ten times slower than that of Alloy 132, and cold
work indicated an accelerating effect. Although 20% cold work should accelerate SCC susceptibility, no
SCC cracks were observed in Alloy 690. In addition, a suppression effect was observed under the
conditions without dissolved hydrogen for both Alloy 600 and Alloy 132. Grain boundary oxidation was
not observed on the crack tip in the water without dissolved hydrogen (DH), but was observed in 15- and
30cc-STP/kg-H2O, therefore, oxidation at the grain boundary might have an effect on the crack growth
rate. The results of crack tip observations suggest that grain boundary oxidation plays an important role
in the phenomenon of SCC.
Keywords: nickel-based alloy, stress corrosion cracking, weld metal, pressurized water reactor,
corrosion, grain boundary oxidation, creep, crack tip analysis