Abstract
The susceptibility of pure copper to stress corrosion cracking (SCC) depending on pH and Cu2+ concentration in acetic acid solutions has been studied by examining the nominal stress-strain curves obtained by the slow strain-rate technique. The results obtained are summarized as follows: The clear SCC was observed under the solution condition of pH not less than 5 and of Cu2+ concentration not less than a few thousand ppm. This condition is almost identical to that which accelerates the formation of oxide film covering the surface of the copper specimen. This strongly supposes that the SCC mechanism can be interpreted in terms of the tarnish film rupture model.
