SCC Initiation in Alloy 600 Heat Affected Zones Exposed to High Temperature Water

Studies have shown that grain boundary chromium carbides improve the stress corrosion cracking (SCC) resistance of nickel based alloys exposed to high temperature, high purity water. However, thermal cycles from welding can significantly alter the microstructure of the base material near the fusion line. In particular, the heat of welding can solutionize grain boundary carbides and produce locally high residual stresses and strains, reducing the SCC resistance of the Alloy 600 type material in the heat affected zone (HAZ). Testing has shown that the SCC growth rate in Alloy 600 heat affected zone samples can be {approx}30x faster than observed in the Alloy 600 base material under identical testing conditions due to fewer intergranular chromium rich carbides and increased plastic strain in the HAZ [1, 2]. Stress corrosion crack initiation tests were conducted on Alloy 600 HAZ samples at 360 C in hydrogenated, deaerated water to determine if these microstructural differences significantly affect the SCC initiation resistance of Alloy 600 heat affected zones compared to the Alloy 600 base material. Alloy 600 to EN82H to Alloy 600 heat-affected-zone (HAZ) specimens where fabricated from an Alloy 600 to Alloy 600 narrow groove weld with EN82H filler metal. The approximate middle third of the specimen gauge region was EN82H such that each specimen had two HAZ regions. Tests were conducted with in-situ monitored smooth tensile specimens under a constant load, and a direct current electric potential drop was used for in-situ detection of SCC. Test results suggest that the SCC initiation resistance of Alloy 600 and its weld metal follows the following order: EN82H > Alloy 600 HAZ > Alloy 600. The high SCC initiation resistance observed to date in Alloy 600 heat affected zones compared to wrought Alloy 600 is unexpected based on the microstructure of HAZ versus wrought material and based on prior SCC growth rate studies. The observed behavior for the HAZ specimens is likely not related to differences in the environment, differences in surface stress/strain between the various specimen regions (weld, HAZ, wrought), differences in surface residual stress, or differences in the microstructure of the various specimen regions (weld, HAZ, wrought). The behavior may be related to differences in the creep behavior of the various weld regions or differences in the surface area of the various materials (weld, HAZ, wrought) exposed to high temperature water.