Stress corrosion cracking tests of Type 310S steel were conducted potentiostatically in neutral 15-35% MgCl
2 solutions at 80°C using smooth or notched round-bar specimens. The object of this study is to compare crevices with pits as initiation sites for SCC cracks and consider the meaning of higher concentration of MgCl
2 solution more easily to occur SCC. Before SCC tests, repassivation potential for pit propagation,
ER, PIT, and that for the notch as a corrosion crevice,
ER, CREV, were determined as functions of MgCl
2 concentration. Even the value of
ER, PIT did not depend on pit radius as an extent of preceding growth of pitting corrosion in such higher concentrations of MgCl
2 solutions. Dissolution rate at pit-bottom,
Ih, PIT was found to be expressed as
E=α+βlog
Ih, PITwhere α and β are constants which depend on MgCl
2 concentration. Dissolution rate at crevice,
Ih, CREV, was taken to be equal to that of
Ih, PIT at corresponding electrode potential and MgCl
2 concentration. SCC in neutral chloride solution required local anodes as initiation sites which are pits for smooth specimens and crevices for notched specimens. Crack growth rate,
l, did not depend on MgCl
2 concentration, electrode potential and types of crack initiation. SCC region in terms of dissolution rate,
Ih, at local anode to initiate cracks was written as
I*
h, i<
Ih<
lor in terms of electrode potential,
E, as
ER, i<
E<
EVwhere
I*
h, i(
i=PIT, CREV) is the value of
Ih at just above
ER, i and
EV is the potential where
Ih equal to
l.
ER, CREV which was less noble than
ER, PIT enlarged potential range for SCC of notched specimen to much less noble potentials than that of smooth specimen. This is one of marked features of crevices compared with pits. There existed critical MgCl
2 concentration,
Ci*(
i=PIT, CREV), below which SCC cracks would not occur.
C*
CREV was much lower than
C*
PIT, which is another marked feature of crevices compared with pits.
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