Optimize the corrosion behavior of AISI 204Cu stainless steel in different environments under previous cold working and welding

Abstract

Enhancing corrosion resistance in stainless-ssteel alloys is a paramount objective in the petroleum industry. This study investigated the effects of the previous cold working and welding processes on the mechanical properties and corrosion rates of 204 Cu stainless steel in different aggressive environments (crude oil, freshwater, and seawater). The experimental sets were supported by microstructure analysis. The mean weight loss method was employed to determine the corrosion rates, which were optimized using the Taguchi method. The ferrite and austenite phase bands, as well as the deformed portions of austenite, are pushed to flatten out during cold working, which increases the material’s hardness. Cold-worked steels were welded, creating an annealed area around the HAZ in addition to the usual weld zones, which demonstrated partial microstructure recovery and hardness reduction. HAZ showed signs of iron overload and chromium nitride precipitation. Cold-worked specimens only showed reduced corrosion resistance to 30% of the initial rate and reduced thickness. Moreover, the Taguchi optimization technique indicated that the corrosion environment has the most effect on the corrosion rate compared to the cold work ratio for welded and non-welded stainless-steel specimens.