Abstract: The effect of W on the repassivation behavior of Ni-added stainless steels was investigated with respect to the repassivation rate and the SCC susceptibility. It was found that more stable passive film was formed on the W-modified stainless steels than that of steels without W-modification, and the repassivation rate was faster for W-modified stainless steels in acidic chloride solution (0.5M H2SO4+3.5% Cl-). In neutral chloride solution (1M MgCl2), there were no significant differences on both passivation properties and the repassivation rates for duplex stainless steels, while W-modified austenite stainless steel showed faster repassivation rate. The SCC tests verified that W-modified Ni-added stainless steels exhibited better SCC resistance than steels without W in chloride solution. Moreover, W-modification in higher Ni-added stainless steels exhibited more remarkable SCC resistance than steels with lower Ni content in chloride solution.

Key words: stainless steel, repassivation, stress corrosion cracking