Stress corrosion cracking behavior of X90 pipeline steel and its weld joint at different applied potentials in near-neutral solutions

Abstract X90 pipeline steel is a new generation of pipeline steel developed after X80 and X100 pipeline steels, and it is now a new research hotspot at home. In order to thoroughly study the effect of applied potential on the soil stress corrosion cracking (SCC) behavior of X90 pipeline steel, we investigated the SCC behaviors of base metal and weld joint samples in the straight-weld pipe of X90 pipeline steel at different applied potentials in near-neutral solution using electrochemical measurements methods and slow strain rate testing (SSRT). Besides, the fracture surfaces were observed through scanning electron microscope (SEM) and the mechanisms of the corrosion cracking behaviors were analyzed. And the following research results were obtained. First, the polarization curves of the base metal and weld joint samples in the NS4 solution present the typical characteristics of anodic dissolution but no activation–passivation phenomenon happens. Second, in the NS4 solution, the base metal and weld joint samples present SCC sensitivity. The SCC sensitivity indicator which is expressed by yield loss percentage elongation and yield loss percentage elongation area decreases firstly and then increases with the negative increase of the applied potential, and the SCC sensitivity of weld joint is higher than that of base metal. Third, there are three mechanisms on the SCC behaviors of base metal and weld joint samples, i.e., anodic dissolution mechanism when the applied potential is open circuit potential ( E OCP ), anodic dissolution and hydrogen embrittlement mechanism when the applied potential is −850 mV, and hydrogen embrittlement mechanism when the applied potential is −1000 mV and −1200 mV. It is concluded that the research results can provide a technical support and theoretical basis for the large-scale application of X90 pipeline steel.