Effects of surface preparation on pitting resistance, residual stress, and stress corrosion cracking in austenitic stainless steels

• Published in: Journal of materials engineering and performance Vol. 10; no. 5; pp. 507 - 514
• Main Authors: BEN RHOUMA, A, BRAHAM, C, FITZPATRICK, M. E, LEDION, J, SIDHOM, H
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Springer 01.10.2001; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Austenitic stainless steels; Corrosion; Corrosion environments; Corrosion resistance; Exact sciences and technology; Metals. Metallurgy; Pitting (corrosion); Residual stress; Sand blasting; Stress corrosion cracking; Wire brushing; Corrosion resistance; Austenitic stainless steel; Pitting corrosion; Sand blasting; Surface preparation; Brushing; Stress corrosion cracking; Hardness; Residual stress; Surface treatment
• ISSN: 1059-9495; 1544-1024
• DOI: 10.1361/105994901770344638

Surface finishing treatments such as shot blasting and wire brushing can be beneficial in improving the integrity of machined surfaces of austenitic stainless steels. These operations optimize in-service properties such as resistance to pitting corrosion and stress corrosion cracking (SCC). In this study, ground steel surfaces were subjected to a series of sand blasting and wire brushing treatments. The surfaces were then characterized by their hardness, surface residual stress state, and resistance to stress corrosion and pitting corrosion. Some samples were selected for depth profiling of residual stress. It is found that surface hardening and the generation of near-surface compressive residual stress are the benefits that can be introduced by sand blasting and brushing operations. (Example of austenitic stainless steel used is AISI 316L.)