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The
aim of this study is to investigate the influence of notch effect on
the high-cycle corrosion fatigue properties of AISI 347 stainless steel
in various environments, namely, air, water, NaCl, NaCl plus inhibitor,
and H2SO4 solutions. The effect of load ratio on the high-cycle corrosion
fatigue behavior was also studied for smooth specimens. Fractography
analysis with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was conducted to investigate
the fatigue fracture modes.
Results showed that the fatigue lives in various specimen geometries
tested in air and four aqueous environments were decreased with increasing
stress concentration factor, and the fatigue notch sensitivity among
the given corrosion environments was higher in water and 3.5% NaCl solution
added with inhibitor. For smooth and semi-circular notch specimens,
the rank of fatigue strength in all of the given environments took the
following order: air > salt water plus inhibitor > water >
salt water > sulfuric acid solution. For V-notch specimens, the S-N
curves were separated into two groups; i.e., one group with air and
3.5% NaCl plus inhibitor and the other with water, 3.5% NaCl and H2SO4.
This was attributed to a greater effect of localized acidification occurring
at the root of a V-notch as compared to a smooth shape and semi-circular
notch.
For R = 0.1 and 0.5, the fatigue strength of smooth specimen showed
the lowest value in H2SO4 solution while at R = -1 with zero mean stress,
the fatigue strength was of no significant difference among the given
environments. A parameter incorporating with the maximum stress, stress
amplitude and highly stressed volume (or area) was introduced and well
correlated with the fatigue life of various specimen geometries in the
given environments. Fractography analysis results indicated that multiple
crack initiation sites were found in V-notch specimens while single
crack initiation site was observed for smooth and semi-circular notch
specimens at low applied stress levels.
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