Effects of silicon, carbon and molybdenum additions on IASCC of neutron irradiated austenitic stainless steels

To study the effects of minor elements on irradiation assisted stress corrosion cracking (IASCC), high purity type 304 and 316 stainless steels (SSs) were fabricated and minor elements, Si or C were added. After neutron irradiation to 3.5 × 1025 n/m2 (E>1 MeV), slow strain rate tests (SSRTs) of irradiated specimens were conducted in oxygenated high purity water at 561 K. Specimen fractured surfaces were examined using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) after the SSRTs. The fraction of intergranular stress corrosion cracking (IGSCC) on the fractured surface after the SSRTs increased with neutron fluence. In high purity SS with added C, the fraction of IGSCC was the smallest in the all SSs, although irradiation hardening level was the largest of all the SSs. Addition of C suppressed the susceptibility to IGSCC.