Three components are required for stress corrosion cracking: stress, an environment and a susceptible alloy. The environment that causes near-neutral-pH SCC has been established as a dilute bicarbonate environment and the effect of stress on this type of SCC has received a considerable amount of research; however, the third component, the susceptible alloy, has received little research. The effect of microstructure on near-neutral-pH SCC was investigated using the slow strain rate test. The effect of the microstructure on the corrosion properties is also investigated using polarization resistance tests, potentiodynamic scans and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The results indicate that the microstructure influences both the SCC and corrosion behaviour.

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