The effect of applied potential and chloride concentration on localized corrosion and stress corros cracking (SCC) of austenitic stainless steels (SSs) and Ni-base alloys was studied. The repassivation potential, Erp, for deep pits was the same as that for crevice corrosion. Laboratory tests over a two-year period and field experience have shown that the Erp is a conservative parameter to predict the occurrence of both these fail modes. For type 316L SS, the U-bend SCC test was found to be more conservative than the slow strain rates tests under controlled potential conditions for a variety of chIoride concentrations. No SCC was observed below the Erp. The Erp was also found to correlate with boiling nitric acid test results and the degree of sensitization of alloy 825. The difficulties in using cyclic potentiodynamic polarization tests for assessing localized corrosion of hig alloyed materials such as alloy C-22 are pointed out.
Keywords: localized corrosion, stress corrosion cracking, repassivation potential, corrosion potential, pitt potential, sensitization, stainless steel, nickel base alloy, 316L, alloy 825