About this Abstract |
| Meeting |
2026 TMS Annual Meeting & Exhibition
|
| Symposium
|
Environmentally Assisted Cracking: Theory and Practice
|
| Presentation Title |
Mitigation of Environmental Assisted Cracking in Martensitic Stainless Steel via ZnNi Anode in Sodium Chloride Solution |
| Author(s) |
Rajaguru Jeyamohan, Victor Kontopanos, James Burns, Robert Kelly |
| On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
Rajaguru Jeyamohan |
| Abstract Scope |
The effect of ZnNi galvanic coupling on the environmentally assisted cracking (EAC) resistance of martensitic stainless steel (P675) was investigated using fracture mechanics testing in 0.6 M NaCl. Testing was performed under constant (dK/dt = 0) and rising (dK/dt = 4 MPa√m/h) stress intensity conditions. A ZnNi anode was galvanically coupled to P675 via a zero-resistance ammeter, with both small (~1:1000) and large (~6:1) area ratios explored. Small-area ZnNi couples significantly reduced crack growth, particularly at longer exposure times, as the electrochemical potential remained within the immunity region. Surprisingly, large-area ratios also suppressed cracking despite being outside the immunity domain, attributed to Znē⁺ ion release mitigating crack propagation. To validate this, ZnNi was directly applied to the steel surface and tested under rising K, where EAC suppression persisted. These results demonstrate that tailored galvanic coupling using ZnNi can effectively mitigate EAC in high-strength martensitic stainless steels. |
| Proceedings Inclusion? |
Planned: |
| Keywords |
Iron and Steel, Environmental Effects, |