The Effect of the Static Load in the UNSM Process on the Corrosion Properties of Alloy 600

Abstract

To suppress stress corrosion-cracking, compressive residual stresses, such as shot peening, laser peening, water jet peening, ultrasonic peening, and ultrasonic nanocrystal surface modification (UNSM) are utilized. However, among the numerous techniques, there is little research about the corrosion effect of detailed conditions, such as static load or amplitude in UNSM. A study on UNSM among various techniques of adding compressive residual stress to Alloy 600 was conducted. The focus of this study was on the effect of the static load in UNSM on the corrosion properties of Alloy 600. Microstructure analysis was conducted using an optical microscope (OM), a scanning electron microscope (SEM), and electron backscattering diffraction (EBSD), while compressive residual stress was measured using a nano-indentation technique. A cyclic polarization test and the AC (Alternating Current)-impedance measurement were both used to analyze the corrosion properties. An increase in static load under critical static load enhanced the grain boundary diffusion, consequently strengthened the passive film, and facilitated the surface diffusion, thereby improving the passivation of Alloy 600. However, higher static loads over the critical value can lead to an increase in the friction between the striking tip and the surface, thereby creating an overlapped wave, which reduces the corrosion properties.