Skip to main content
Log in

Effect of Nitrogen and Sensitization on the Microstructure and Pitting Corrosion Behavior of AISI Type 316LN Stainless Steels

  • Published:
Journal of Materials Engineering and Performance Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

High-nitrogen stainless steels (SS) are receiving increased attention because of the advantages of their strength over the SS with nominal composition. However, they are susceptible to dichromium nitride (Cr2N) precipitation during thermal exposure between 873 and 1323 K resulting in sensitization and subsequent intergranular corrosion. Round tensile specimens of AISI type 316LN SS, with three different nitrogen content 0.07, 0.14, and 0.22 wt.% in mill-annealed and sensitized (973 K for 24 h) condition were studied for their pitting corrosion behavior. The results of the potentiodynamic anodic polarization studies were correlated with the results obtained using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) technique. Critical pitting potential (E pp) increased with increasing nitrogen content but the same was found to decrease on aging. The parameters indicating passive film stability measured by EIS revealed faster passive film dissolution as indicated by low polarization resistance, in sensitized condition and vice-versa in mill-annealed condition. The EIS results correlated well with the variation in the respective E pp obtained from the potentiodynamic polarization diagrams.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. U. Kamachi Mudali and S. Ningshen, Corrosion Properties of Nitrogen Bearing Stainless Steels: High Nitrogen Steels and SS, Narosa Publishing House, New Delhi, 2004, p 133–181

    Google Scholar 

  2. U. Kamachi Mudali, R.K. Dayal, J.B. Gnanamoorthy, and P. Rodriguez, Pitting Corrosion Studies on Nitrogen-Bearing Austenitic Stainless Steels, Mater. Trans. Jpn. Inst. Met., 1996, 37(10), p 1568–1573

    Google Scholar 

  3. M.O. Speidel and R.M. Pedrazzoli, High Nitrogen Stainless Steels in Chloride Solutions, Mater. Perform., 1992, 31(9), p 59–61

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. J.J. Eckenrod and C.W. Kovach, Effect of Nitrogen on Sensitization, Corrosion and Mechanical Properties of 18Cr-8Ni Stainless Steels, Proceedings of the Conference on Properties of Austenitic Satinless Steels and their Weld Metals, C.R. Brinkman and H.W. Garvin, Ed., ASTM STP 679, ASTM, Philadelphia, 1979, p 17–41

  5. M. Janik-Czachor, E. Lunarska, and Z. Szklarska-Smialowska, Effect of Nitrogen Content in a 18Cr-5Ni-10Mn Stainless Steel on the Pitting Susceptibility in Chloride Solutions, Corrosion, 1975, 31(11), p 394–398

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. J.R. Kearns and H.E. Deverell, Use of Nitrogen to Improve the Corrosion Resistance of FeCrNiMo Alloys for the Chemical Process Industries, Mater. Perform., 1987, 26(6), p 18–28

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. F.M. Bayoumi and W.A. Ghanem, Effect of Nitrogen on the Corrosion Behavior of Austenitic Stainless Steel in Chloride Solutions, Mater. Lett., 2005, 59(26), p 3311–3314

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. K. Osozawa and N. Okato, Passivity and Its Breakdown on Iron and Iron Based Alloys, NACE (USA-Japan Seminar, Honolulu) Houston, TX, 1976, p 135

  9. R.F.A. Jargelius-Pettersson, Sensitization Behaviour and Corrosion Resistance of Austenitic Stainless Steels Alloyed with Nitrogen and Manganese, ISIJ Int., 1996, 36(7), p 818–824

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. R.F.A. Jargelius-Pettersson, Electrochemical Investigation of the Influence of Nitrogen Alloying on Pitting Corrosion of Austenitic Stainless Steels, Corros. Sci., 1999, 41(8), p 1639–1664

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. D. Kim, C.R. Clayton, and M. Oversluizen, On the Question of Nitrate Formation by N-Containing Austenitic Stainless Steels, Mater. Sci. Eng., A, 1994, 186(1–2), p 163–169

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. H. Ohno, H. Tanabe, A. Sakai, and T. Misawa, Pitting Resistance and In-Situ Raman Study of Nitrogen-Compounds in a Pit of High Nitrogen-Bearing Austenitic Stainless Steels, Zairyo-to-Kanyo/Corros. Eng., 1998, 47(9), p 584–590

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. R. Bandy and D. Van Rooyen, Properties of Nitrogen-Containing Stainless Alloy Designed for High Resistance to Pitting, Corrosion, 1985, 41(4), p 228–233

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. H.J. Grabke, The Role of Nitrogen in the Corrosion of Iron and Steels, ISIJ Int., 1996, 36(7), p 777–786

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. R.C. Newman and T. Shahrabi, The Effect of Alloyed Nitrogen or Dissolved Nitrate Ions on the Anodic Behaviour of Austenitic Stainless Steel in Hydrochloric Acid, Corros. Sci., 1987, 27(8), p 827–838

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. A. Sadough Vanini, J.P. Audouard, and P. Marcus, The Role of Nitrogen in the Passivity of Austenitic Stainless Steels, Corros. Sci., 1994, 36(11), p 1825–1834

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. C.R. Clayton and K.G. Martin, Evidence of Anodic Segregation of Nitrogen in High Nitrogen Stainless Steels and Its Influence on Passivity, Proceedings of the First International Conference on High Nitrogen Steels “HNS 88”, J. Foct and A. Hendry, Ed., Lille, France, May 1988, The Institute of Metals, 1989, p 256

  18. R.D. Willenbruch, C.R. Clayton, M. Oversluizen, D. Kim, and Y. Lu, An XPS and Electrochemical Study of the Influence of Molybdenum and Nitrogen on the Passivity of Austenitic Stainless Steel, Corros. Sci., 1990, 31(c), p 179–190

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. R.C. Newman, W.R. Whitney Award Lecture: Understanding the Corrosion of Stainless Steel, Corrosion, 2001, 57(12), p 1030–1041

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. A.J. Sedriks, Role of Sulfide Inclusions in Pitting and Crevice Corrosion of Stainless Steels, Int. Met. Rev., 1983, 28(5), p 295–307

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. J.E. Truman, M.J. Coleman, and K.R. Pirt, Note on the Influence of Nitrogen Content on the Resistance to Pitting Corrosion of Stainless Steels, Br. Corros. J., 1977, 12(4), p 236–238

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. R. Bandy and D. Van Rooyen, Pitting-Resistant Alloys in Highly Concentrated Chloride Media, Corrosion, 1983, 39(6), p 227–236

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. N. Parvathavarthini, U. Kamachi Mudali, L. Nenova, C. Andreev, and Baldev Raj, Sensitization and Intergranular Corrosion Behavior of High Nitrogen Type 304LN Stainless Steels for Reprocessing and Waste Management Applications, Metall. Mater. Trans. A, 2012, 43, p 2069–2084

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. R.K. Dayal, J.B. Gnanamoorthy, and N. Chandrasekharan, Failure of a Stainless Steels Tank Used for Storage of Heavy Water/Helium, ASM Handbook of Case Histories in Failure Analysis, Vol 2, K.A. Esaklul, Ed., ASM International, Materials Park, 1993, p 253–255

    Google Scholar 

  25. K.V. Kasivisvanathan, N.G. Muraleedharan, N. Raghu, R.K. Dayal, and H. Shaikh, Corrosion Related Failures of Austenitic Stainless Steel Components, Corrosion of Austenitic SS—Mechanism Mitigation and Monitoring, H.S. Khatak and Baldev Raj, Ed., Narosa Publishing House, New Delhi, 2002

    Google Scholar 

  26. C.R. Das, A.K. Bhaduri, and S.K. Ray, Fatigue Failure of a Fillet Welded Nozzle Joint, Eng. Fail. Anal., 2003, 10(6), p 667–674

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. N. Parvathavarthini and R.K. Dayal, Influence of Chemical Composition, Prior Deformation and Prolonged Thermal Aging on the Sensitization Characteristics of Austenitic Stainless Steels, J. Nucl. Mater., 2002, 305(2–3), p 209–219

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. H.Y. Ha and H. Kwon, Effects of Cr2N on the Pitting Corrosion of High Nitrogen Stainless Steels, Electrochim. Acta, 2007, 52(5), p 2175–2180

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. N. Parvathavarthini and R.K. Dayal, Time-Temperature-Sensitization Diagrams and Critical Cooling Rates of Different Nitrogen Containing Austenitic Stainless Steels, J. Nucl. Mater., 2010, 399(1), p 62–67

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. ASTM E466-07, Standard Practice for Conducting Force Controlled Constant Amplitude Axial Fatigue Tests of Metallic Materials, 2007

  31. M.G. Pujar, U. Kamachi Mudali, and S. Sekar Singh, Electrochemical Noise Studies of the Effect of Nitrogen on Pitting Corrosion Resistance of High Nitrogen Austenitic Stainless Steel, Corros. Sci., 2011, 53, p 4178–4186

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. E. Cho, S. Ahn, and H. Kwon, Effects of EDTA on the Electronic Properties of Passive Film on Fe-20 Cr in pH 8.5 Buffer Solution, Electrochim. Acta, 2005, 50, p 3383–3389

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. G.C. Palit, V. Kain, and H.S. Gadiyar, Electrochemical Investigations of Pitting Corrosion in Nitrogen-Bearing Type 316LN Stainless Steel, Corrosion, 1993, 49(12), p 977–991

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. S. Ningshen, U. Kamachi Mudali, G. Amarendra, and Baldev Raj, Corrosion Assessment of Nitric Acid Grade Austenitic Stainless Steels, Corros. Sci., 2009, 51(2), p 22–329

    Article  Google Scholar 

  35. M. Drogowska, H. Ménard, A. Lasia, and L. Brossard, Impedance Study of the Passive Film on Stainless Steel 304 in pH 8 Carbonate Solution, J. Appl. Electrochem., 1996, 26(11), p 1169–1177

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. C.H. Hsu and F. Mansfeld, Concerning the Conversion of the Constant Phase Element Parameter Y0 into a Capacitance, Corrosion, 2001, 57(9), p 747–748

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  37. H. Shaikh, T. Anita, A. Poonguzhali, R. Amirthalingam, and H.S. Khatak, Effect of high Temperature Aging on the Corrosion Behaviour of Nitrogen-Added AISI, Type 316L Stainless Steel, Trans. Indian Inst. Met., 2006, 59(2), p 271–282

    Google Scholar 

  38. S. Ningshen, U. Kamachi Mudali, G. Amarendra, P. Gopalan, R.K. Dayal, and H.S. Khatak, Hydrogen Effects on the Passive Film Formation and Pitting Susceptibility of Nitrogen Containing Type 316L Stainless Steel, Corros. Sci., 2006, 48(5), p 1106–1121

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  39. S. Ningshen, U. Kamachi Mudali, H.S. Khatak, and Baldev Raj, Paper No 04-26, 14th Asian-Pacific Corrosion Control Conference (14APCCC), October 21-24, 2006, Shanghai, China

  40. S. Ningshen, U. Kamachi Mudali, G. Amarendra, and Baldev Raj, Corrosion Assessment of Nitric Acid Grade Austenitic Stainless Steels, Corros. Sci., 2009, 51(2), p 322–329

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  41. P. Shankar, H. Shaikh, S. Sivakumar, S. Venugopal, D. Sundararaman, and H.S. Khatak, Effect of Thermal Aging on the Room Temperature Tensile Properties of AISI, Type 316LN Stainless Steel, J. Nucl. Mater., 1999, 264(1–2), p 29–34

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  42. F. Mansfeld, Y. Wang, S.H. Lin, H. Xiao, and H. Shih, Detection and Monitoring of Localized Corrosion by EIS, Electrochemical Impedance: Analysis and Interpretation, J.R. Scully, D.C. Silverman, and M.W. Kendig, Ed., ASTM STP 1188, American Society for Testing Materials, Philadelphia, 1993, p 297–312

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  43. M. Pujar and A.E. Miller, The Corrosion Resistance of Anodized Aluminium 6061 by a Combination of Galvanostatic Dissolution and EIS Techniques, Corros. Prev. Control, 2000, 47(4), p 113–120

    CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to M. G. Pujar.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Poonguzhali, A., Pujar, M.G. & Kamachi Mudali, U. Effect of Nitrogen and Sensitization on the Microstructure and Pitting Corrosion Behavior of AISI Type 316LN Stainless Steels. J. of Materi Eng and Perform 22, 1170–1178 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11665-012-0356-3

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11665-012-0356-3

Keywords

Navigation