Evaluation of Pitting Behavior on Solution Treated Duplex Stainless Steel UNS S31803

The pitting corrosion resistance of duplex stainless steels UNS S31803 annealed at different temperatures ranging from 1050 °C to 1200 °C for 24 h has been investigated by means of potentiostatic critical pitting temperature (CPT). The microstructural evolution and pit morphologies of the specimens were studied through optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The potentiostatic CPT measurements show that the CPT was elevated with the annealing temperature increased from 1050 °C to 1150 °C and decreased as the temperature further increased to 1200 °C. The specimens annealed at 1150 °C exhibited the highest CPT and the best pitting corrosion resistance. The pit morphologies show that the pit initiation sites transfer from austenite phase to ferrite phase as the annealing temperature increases. The results were explained by the variation of pitting resistance equivalent number (PREN) of ferrite and austenite phases as the annealing temperature was varied.