Effect of Grain Size on the Stress Corrosion Cracking of Ultrafine Grained Cu-10 wt% Zn Alloy in Ammonia

The effect of grain size in the micron to submicron range on the stress corrosion cracking (SCC) of Cu-10 wt% Zn alloys was investigated using constant-load tests in ammonia vapor. The grain size was systematically varied from 4 μm to 0.12 μm by either cold-rolling or equal-channel angular pressing (ECAP), followed by annealing. The time to fracture increased with decreasing grain size above 1 μm but then began to decrease with decreasing grain size into the submicron range. This inverse trend in the submicron range is discussed in terms of a severe plastic deformation- (SPD-) induced ultrafine grain microstructure.