| Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1469643 | Corrosion Science | 2012 | 10 Pages |
In this study, the susceptibility to stress corrosion cracking (SCC) of laser-welded NiTi wires in Hanks’ solution at 37.5 °C was studied by the slow strain-rate test (SSRT) at open-circuit potential and at different applied anodic potentials. The weldment shows high susceptibility to SCC when the applied potential is near to the pitting potential of the heat-affected zone (HAZ). The pits formed in the HAZ become sites of crack initiation when stress is applied, and cracks propagate in an intergranular mode under the combined effect of corrosion and stress. In contrast, the base-metal is immune to SCC under similar conditions. The increase in susceptibility to SCC in the weldment could be attributed to the poor corrosion resistance in the coarse-grained HAZ.
► Susceptibility to SCC of NiTi weldment in Hanks’ solution was investigated by SSRT. ► The weldment suffers from SCC at potential near to the Epit of the HAZ. ► The base-metal is immune to SCC under the same condition. ► Pitting and fracture of the weldment in the SSRT occurs in the HAZ. ► The fracture behavior is explained by the coarse-grained microstructure of the HAZ.
