The Corrosion Fatigue of SiCrMoCuV Steel in 3.5% NaCl Solution

Abstract This paper reports an investigation of the rate and mechanism of corrosion fatigue crack growth (FCG) of SiCrMoCuV steel in 3.5% NaCl solution and discusses the results obtained in experiments with fracture mechanics and electrochemistry. Experiments were also done in air and distilled water environments. The influence of applied potential on the corrosion fatigue has been investigated. The experimental results indicated that 3.5% NaCl solution and distilled water increase the FCG rate and that hydrogen embrittlement is apparently the predominant mechanism in both environments. In 3.5% NaCl solution and distilled water, the temperature affects the FCG rate significantly, but it has little effect on the FCG rate in air. For the forged specimens, applied cathodic potential decreases the FCG rate in 3.5% NaCl solution.