Grain Boundary Character Changes and IGA/PWSCC Behavior of Alloy 600 Material by Thermomechanical Treatment

Grain boundary characteristics and corrosion behavior of Alloy 600 material were investigated using the concept of grain boundary control by thermomechanical treatment(TMT). The grain boundary character distribution (GBCD) was analyzed by electron backscattered diffraction pattern. The effects of GBeD variation on intergranular at tack(JGA) and primary water stress corrosion cracking(PWSeC) were also evaluated. Changes in the fraction of coinci dence site lattice(CSL) boundaries in each cycle of TMT process were not distinguishable, but the total eSL boundary frequencies for TMT specimens increased about 10% compared with those of the commercial Alloy 600 material. It was found from IGA tests that the resistance to IGA was improved by TMT process. However, it was found from PWSCC test that repeating of TMT cycles resulted in the gradual decrease of the time to failure and the maximum load due to change in grain boundary characteristics, while the average crack propagation rate of primary crack increased mainly due to suppression of secondary crack propagation. It is considered that these corrosion characteristics in TMT specimens is attributed to 'fine tuning of grain boundary' mechanism.