Sensibility of mechanical and electrochemical tests in detecting alpha prime phase in duplex stainless steels aged at 475 ºC

Abstract

Alpha prime formation leads to material embrittlement and decreases corrosion and mechanical resistance. In the present study, some tests as microhardness, impact test, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and cyclic polarization were performed with the duplex stainless steel (DSS) UR 52N+aged at 475 ºC from 0.5 h to 1,032 h in order to evaluate the sensibility of these tests in detecting alpha prime presence. After 0.5 h of aging at 475 ºC it was observed that impact test indirectly revealed the presence of this deleterious phase in the DSS studied, and this test was the most sensible for detecting alpha prime among the other ones used.