Effect of annealing temperature on the pitting corrosion resistance of super duplex stainless steel UNS S32750

The pitting corrosion resistance of commercial super duplex stainless steels SAF2507 (UNS S32750) annealed at seven different temperatures ranging from 1030 degrees C to 1200 degrees C for 2 h has been investigated by means of potentiostatic critical pitting temperature. The microstructural evolution and pit morphologies of the specimens were studied through optical/scanning electron microscope. Increasing annealing temperature from 1030 degrees C to 1080 degrees C elevates the critical pitting temperature, whereas continuing to increase the annealing temperature to 1200 degrees C decreases the critical pitting temperature. The specimens annealed at 1080 degrees C for 2 h exhibit the best pitting corrosion resistance with the highest critical pitting temperature. The pit morphologies show that the pit initiation sites transfer from austenite phase to ferrite phase as the annealing temperature increases. The aforementioned results can be explained by the variation of pitting resistance equivalent number of ferrite and austenite phase as the annealing temperature changes. (C) 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.