Effect of W on stress corrosion cracking susceptibility of newly developed Ni-saving duplex stainless steels

Effect of W on stress corrosion cracking behavior (SCC) of Ni-saving duplex stainless steels (Fe18Cr6Mn3Mo0.4N (2.13, 5.27)W, in wt%) was investigated in 4 M NaCl solution using a slow strain rate test method. The change in the W content from 2.13 to 5.27 wt% marginally affected the tensile properties of the investigated DSSs. Alloying W clearly improved the pitting initiation resistance and repassivation tendency of the investigated alloys, but the SCC susceptibility was not remarkably decreased by addition of W. The slight enhancement in the SCC resistance of the alloy containing 5.27 wt% W was revealed to be correlated with the accelerated galvanic corrosion between the ferrite and austenite phases as a result of the W partitioning preferentially into the ferrite phase which could encourage the propagation of pitting.