Effect of Strain Rate on Stress Corrosion Cracking of 316L Austenitic Stainless Steel in Boiling MgCl2 Environment

Stress corrosion cracking behaviors of AISI 316L austenitic stainless steel at slow strain rates in two environments of air and MgCl₂ at ambient temperature and 154 °C were investigated. The results revealed that a decrease in strain rate, during testing in boiling MgCl₂ environment, led to a rigorous deterioration of the mechanical properties of the material, causing brittleness of the steel. The results obtained from fractography indicated that the samples tested in air had typical ductile fracture surface appearances, while the fracture surfaces of the samples tested in a corrosive environment showed a combination of intergranular and transgranular fracture modes, having a brittle macroscopic appearance. The transgranular mode became predominant as strain rate decreased. The results suggested that the presence of deformation bands in front of crack tips were responsible for transgranular cracking caused by stress corrosion.