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It arises from the precipitation of chromium carbide at the grain boundaries. This
happens when chromium-nickel austenitic stainless steels are welded in the
presence of various corrosive media. This results in an improvised chrome in
the surrounding area and loss of the passivation effect.
There are many test procedures that can be used in the determination of
intercrystalline corrosion. These tests include the Strauss test, the improved
Strauss test, the Streicher test and the Huey test. All these tests are based on
the specimen's aging in a holding time, definite temperature and definite
solution. The mass lost, or the depth of the attack after the specimen has been
bent is measured.
"Intergranular" or 'intercrystalline" means between grains or crystals. As the name suggests, this is a form
of corrosive attack that progresses preferentially along interdendritic paths (the grain boundaries).
Positive identification of this type of corrosion usually requires microstructure examination under a
microscopy although sometimes it is visually recognizable as in the case of weld decay.
The photos above show the microstructure of a type 304 stainless steel. The figure on the left is the
normalized microstructure and the one on the right is the "sensitized" structure and is susceptible to
intergranular corrosion or intergranular stress corrosion cracking.
Mechanisms
What causes intergranular corrosion? This type of
attack results from local differences in composition,
such as coring commonly encountered in alloy
castings. Grain boundary precipitation, notably
chromium carbides in stainless steels, is a well
recognized and accepted mechanism of intergranular
corrosion. The precipitation of chromium carbides
consumed the alloying element - chromium from a
narrow band along the grain boundary and this makes
the zone anodic to the unaffected grains. The chromium
depleted zone becomes the preferential path for
corrosion attack or crack propagation if under tensile
stress.
Intermetallics segregation at grain boundaries in aluminum alloys also causes intergranular corrosion but
with a different name - "exfoliation".
Prevention
Sensitization effect[edit]
Sensitization refers to the precipitation of carbides at grain boundaries in a stainless steel
or alloy, causing the steel or alloy to be susceptible to intergranular corrosion
or intergranular stress corrosion cracking.
Unsensitized microstructure
See also[edit]
Intergranular fracture
References[edit]
1. Jump up^ ASTM A923 Intergranular Corrosion Testing of Duplex Stainless Steel
2. Jump up^ ASTM A262 Intergranular Corrosion Testing of Stainless Steels
3. Jump up^ Weld Decay and Intergranular Corrosion
Intergranular Corrosion
Intergranular corrosion of a failed aircraft component made of 7075-T6 aluminum (picture width
= 500 ?m)
The attack is usually related to the segregation of specific elements or the formation of a
compound in the boundary. Corrosion then occurs by preferential attack on the grain-boundary
phase, or in a zone adjacent to it that has lost an element necessary for adequate corrosion
resistance - thus making the grain boundary zone anodic relative to the remainder of the
surface. The attack usually progresses along a narrow path along the grain boundary and, in a
severe case of grain-boundary corrosion, entire grains may be dislodged due to complete
deterioration of their boundaries.
In any case the mechanical properties of the structure will be seriously affected. A classic
example is the sensitization of stainless steels or weld decay. Chromium-rich grain boundary
precipitates lead to a local depletion of Cr immediately adjacent to these precipitates, leaving
these areas vulnerable to corrosive attack in certain electrolytes. Reheating a welded
component during multi-pass welding is a common cause of this problem. In austenitic stainless
steels, titanium or niobium can react with carbon to form carbides in the heat affected zone
(HAZ) causing a specific type of intergranular corrosion known as knife-line attack. These
carbides build up next to the weld bead where they cannot diffuse due to rapid cooling of the
weld metal. The problem of knife-line attack can be corrected by reheating the welded metal to
allow diffusion to occur.
Many aluminum base alloys are susceptible to intergranular corrosion on account of either
phases anodic to aluminum being present along grain boundaries or due to depleted zones of
copper adjacent to grain boundaries in copper-containing alloys. Alloys that have been extruded
or otherwise worked heavily, with a microstructure of elongated, flattened grains, are particularly
prone to this damage.
SL = Short longitudinal
ST = Short transverse
LT = Longitudinal transverse
Nace International
Corrosionpedia
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INTERGRANULAR
CORROSION (IGC)
Unsensitized microstructure
Intergranular fracture
References
Salvar
Microestructura no sensibilizada
Ver tambin
Fractura intergranular
Referencias