Anodic behavior of 18-8 stainless steel under plastic deformation in H₂SO₄-NaCl solutions have been studied by means of constant strain rate, dynamic strain, and stress-relaxation method, static strain, in order to clarify the electrochemical conditions for stress corrosion cracking.
Anodic current density increases at the onset of the plastic deformation and with increasing strain. Anodic current density rises as the strain rate is lowerd.
Anodic current of 36% prestrained specimen increased with increasing time under the stress applied the elongation of 36%. Stress-relaxation test showed that anodic current density of prestrained specimen is higher than that of the solution treated specimen and increases with increasing prestrain. These behaviors are observed also on the specimen without the stress. Stress corrosion cracking and the surface striation due to localized dissolution are observed only in the prestrained specimen.
It is suggested that the localized dissolution accelerated by particular deformation structure such as stacking fault, deformation twin and strain induced martensite influence of the anodic current behavior.