Abstract
An investigation was made of the effect of cold working on the sensitivity of several austenitic stainless steels of AISI Type 304 and 304 L to the stress-corrosion cracking in a high temperature NaCl solution (300°C, 500 ppm as Cl−) and in a boiling 42% MgCl2 solution. The results are summarized as follows: (1) The carbon content and heat treatment before cold working do not affect appreciably the sensitivity of stainless steel to the stress-corrosion cracking in the high temperature NaCl solution. (2) The degree of cold working does not seem to have a direct relation to the sensivity of stainless steel to the stress-corrosion cracking in the high temperature NaCl solution and in the boiling 42% MgCl2 solution. However, the ferrite transformed from the austenite by cold working decreases significantly the sensitivity of stainless steel to the stress-corrosion cracking in the both solutions.
