PNNL

Abstract

Grain boundary structure and composition is assessed in austenitic stainless steels along with its influence on intergranular stress corrosion cracking (IGSCC) in high-temperature water. Brief examples are presented illustrating effects of grain boundary character and segregation on behavior in specific light-water-reactor environments. Although grain boundary engineering can produce an increased fraction of special boundaries in austenitic stainless alloys, practical benefits depend on the boundary orientation distribution. It is critical to recognize that only coherent sigma 3s appear to be resistant to SCC and the behavior of other low sigma boundaries is uncertain. Grain boundary composition can have a dominant effect on IGSCC under certain conditions, but altered interfacial chemistry is not required for cracking. In high-potential oxidizing environments, IGSCC susceptibility is a direct function of the boundary Cr concentration. Non-equilibrium thermal segregation of Cr and Mo is often present in millannealed stainless steels and may influence cracking susceptibility. This initial grain boundary composition alters subsequent radiation-induced segregation and delays irradiation-assisted SCC susceptibility to higher doses. Other alloying elements and impurities in 300-series stainless steels have been seen to enrich grain boundaries, but few have any significant impact on IGSCC susceptibility. One exception is Si that strongly segregates during irradiation. recent results suggest that Si may accelerate crack propagation in both low- and high-potential water environments. Critical research is still needed to isolate individual grain boundary characteristics and quantitatively link to IGSCC.