Zr-based bulk glassy alloy with improved resistance to stress corrosion cracking in sodium chloride solutions

Abstract

In order to evaluate stress corrosion cracking (SCC) susceptibility of Zr-based bulk glassy alloys and develop the BGAs with low susceptibility to SCC, the SCC behaviour of Zr 50Cu 40Al 10, Zr 50Cu 30Al 10Ni 10 and hypoeutectic Zr 70Cu 6Al 8Ni 16 BGAs in various environments including sodium chloride solution has been investigated using a slow strain rate technique at an initial strain rate of 5 × 10 −6 s −1. It is found, for the first time, that the Zr 70Cu 6Al 8Ni 16 BGA has no susceptibility to SCC in a 0.5 M NaCl solution. On the other hand, Zr 50Cu 40Al 10 and Zr 50Cu 30Al 10Ni 10 BGAs are highly susceptible to SCC in the NaCl solution, although they are not susceptible to SCC in de-ionized water, phosphate buffer, 0.5 M Na 2SO 4 and 0.5 M NaNO 3 solutions. The possible cause of the high susceptibility to SCC in the NaCl solution for the Zr 50Cu 40Al 10 and Zr 50Cu 30Al 10Ni 10 BGAs is discussed.