Suscetibilidade à corrosão sob tensão dos aços AISI 321 e 347 em meio de H2SO4 + CuSO4

Abstract

Because of their resistance to high temperature corrosion by hydrogen sulfide, austenitic stanless steels are commonly used for equipment in desulfurization process. However, these materials are subject to sensitization (chromium carbide precipitation) from exposure in the temperature range 425 to 815ºC during fabrication or operation. Sensitization makes the equipment susceptible to failure from intergranular stress corrosion cracking caused by polythionic acid. Polythionic acid is formed by sulfur compounds, moisture, and air at ambient temperature. The main goal of the present work is to investigate the stress corrosion cracking susceptibility of stainless steels AISI 321 and 347 in polythionic acids using an alternative process that is to submit the samples to cooper-cooper sulfate-16% sulfuric acid test (ASTM A262 Pr.E). After the stabilization heat treatment at 900ºC for 75 minutes, samples were heat treated at 600ºC during 20, 40, 80, 120 and 140 hours and then exposed to boiling acidified copper sulfate solution for 72 hours. After exposure, the specimens were bent. The appearance of fissures or cracks was not observed in AISI 321 and 347 samples. The effectiveness of the solution has been made by submitting AISI 304L samples to the same environment . The AISI 304L samples with higher finishing have been cracked. The ones with fine-ground finishing have not been attacked.