The stress corrosion cracking behavior of N80 carbon steel under a crevice in an acidic solution containing different concentrations of NaCl

Electrochemical and mechanical tests, surface analysis and hydrogen detection were used to investigate SCC of N80 carbon steel in acidic solution with varying NaCl concentrations. The SCC of steel with crevice was mixed-controlled by both anodic dissolution and hydrogen involvement. After crevice corrosion, a deep corrosion groove was formed, which dominated crack nucleation. The enhanced hydrogen uptake near crevice mouth was responsible to crack propagation. Cl– promoted crevice corrosion as indicated by increased depth of groove and hydrogen uptake content, which enhanced the SCC susceptibility. The role of Cl–, crevice and their synergistic effect in SCC was quantitatively estimated.