The influence of metallurgical factors on stress corrosion cracking of various steels in an aggressive chloride–sulfide environment

The influence of metallurgical factors on stress corrosion cracking of steels of different classes in an aggressive NACE solution at 25$^{\circ}$C is analyzed. The dependences of the stress leading to the transition from active corrosion to the mechanism of hydrogen embrittlement (critical stress) on the yield stress and the coefficient of stress concentration are plotted. The relationship between the critical stress, conditional yield stress, and overstress values is revealed. It is concluded that the loss of corrosion resistance for unalloyed steels with a yield stress below 500 MPa is caused by an increase in the hydrogen concentration during deformation of the material in a corrosive environment.