Intergranular Corrosion

SANIA ALI
IZAM SIKANDAR
 Table of contents

Introduction
Mechanism of IGC
Sensitization
Weld decay
Knifeline effect
IGC of Aluminum alloys
Prevention
Case study
 Intergranular Corrosion

Localized attack at and adjacent to grain boundaries, with

relatively little corrosion of the grains. The alloy, sensitive
to IGC, disintegrates and/or loses its strength when
exposed to environments.
This type of corrosion is either due to the presence of
impurities in the boundaries, or to local enrichment or
depletion of one or more alloying elements
Redox process, which is localized in the zones adjacent to
the grain boundaries.

Grains fall out

Metal disintegrates
Metal loses strength
 Mechanism of intergranular Corrosion

Caused by microsegregation of impurities

and alloying elements on the grains boundaries.
The driving force is the difference between the electrode
potentials of the grain boundary and the grain itself, which
form a galvanic cell in presence of an electrolyte.
If the phases segregated at the grain boundaries have
lower value of electrode potential they will oxidize (anodic
reaction) and the grain metal having higher value of
electrode potential will provide cathodic reaction
(reduction).
 Mechanism of intergranular Corrosion

Dissolution of anodic grain boundaries starts from

the surface and advances along the grains interfaces.
 Intergranular attack

Corrosion which occurs preferentially at grain

boundaries.
Why at grain boundaries?
Higher energy areas which may be more anodic than the
grains.
How to recognize it?
Near surface
Corrosion only at grain boundaries
Corrosion normally at uniform depth for all grains.
Note if only a few grain boundaries are attacked probably
its pitting
 Metallurgical causes behind IGC

1. Segregation of impurities to grain boundaries

Difference in composition can lead to galvanic corrosion
If grain boundary is anode, then it will be attacked
If region next to the grain boundary is anode, then it will be
attacked

2. Formation of precipitates on the grain boundaries

Precipitates are different metallurgical phase than grains
Decrease corrosion resistance of areas adjacent to grain
boundaries or develop microscopic galvanic cells.
 Examples intergranular attack

In austenitic stainless steel sensitization due to grain

boundary precipitation of Cr carbides can occur on
heating in the temperature range 450-900C, for
example during annealing or stress relieving, at service in
this range or during welding, when it is called Weld
decay
Sensitization
 Mechanism
Sensitization occurs when 300 series steels are heated in the
temperature range between 425 and 870 degrees Celsius. When this
heating occurs
-Carbon and chromium atoms from the grains diffuse to the grain
boundaries
-There, they react and form chromium carbide precipitates on the
grain boundaries.
-Because the diffusion rate of chromium in the temperature range
425 to 870 C is low, chromium atoms closer to the center of the grain
are not able to diffuse to the areas closer to the grain boundaries in
order to maintain a uniform concentration of chromium throughout
the grain.
-Consequently, the chromium is depleted from the area near the
grain boundaries.
Sensitization
 Prevention to sensitization

Solution heat treatment.

Stabilization by carbide forming elements.
Lowering carbon content.
 Weld decay
Weld decay is a form of intergranular corrosion, usually of stainless
steels or certain nickel-base alloys, that occurs as the result of
sensitization in the heat-affected zone during the welding operation.
The corrosive attack is restricted to the heat affected zone (HAZ).
Positive identification of this type of corrosion usually requires
microstructure examination under a microscopy although sometimes
it is possible to visually recognize weld decay if parallel lines are
already formed in the heat affected zone along the weld.
 Mechanism

In this case, the precipitation of chromium carbides is

induced by the welding operation when the heat
affected zone (HAZ) experiences a particular
temperature range (550oC~850oC). The precipitation
of chromium carbides consumed the alloying element -
chromium from a narrow band along the grain
boundary and this makes the zone anodic to the
unaffected grains. The chromium depleted zone
becomes the preferential path for corrosion attack or
crack propagation if under tensile stress.
 Knifeline Affect

knifeline is a form of intergranular corrosion,

usually of stainless steels or certain nickel-base
alloys, along a line adjoining in or contact with a
weld after heating into the sensitization
temperature range.
The corrosive attack is restricted to extremely
narrow lining adjoining the fusion line. Attack
appears razor sharp.
It is possible to recognize knifeline affect if the
lines are already formed along the weld.
 Mechanism: Knifeline Attack

Stainless steels, stabilized by niobium (e.g. 347). This

material contains titanium and niobium and their carbides
dissolve into the steel at very high temperatures. At some
cooling rates however, niobium carbide does not
precipitate, and the steel then behaves like an unstabilized
grade, forming chromium carbide instead. This affects only
a thin zone several millimeters wide often making it
difficult to spot and increasing the corrosion speed
Prevention:
heat treatment-heating the weld to 1065C to stabilize the
material.
 Knifeline Attack And weld decay

KLA is similar to Weld decay in two ways:

1) Both result from intergranular corrosion.
2) Both are associated with welding.
Major differences Between KLA and WD:
1) KLA occurs in a narrow band in the metal
immediately adjacent to the weld, whereas WD
appears at an appreciable distance from the weld.
2) KLA occurs in Stabalized Steels.
3) The thermal history of the metal is different.
 IGC of other metals

Other metals susceptible to intergranular corrosion

Zinc alloys that contain aluminum
Some nickel alloys
Ni-Cr alloys INCONEL600 (Ni-16Cr-9Fe) alloy fails by IGC
and IGSCC in the caustic(alkaline)
solutions that concentrate in the crevices.
Al alloys
Al-Cu (2xxx) and Al-Zn-Mg-Cu(7xxx) alloys :
The copper depleted zone adjacent to
grain boundary precipitates (Al2Cu) is attacked anodically.
 Intergranular corrosion of aluminum alloys

Aluminum alloys containing magnesium (Mg), zinc

(Zn), copper (Cu), iron (Fe) are susceptible to
intergranular corrosion:
In copper containing aluminum alloys precipitation
of Al2Cu causes depletion of copper from the grain
boundaries, which become anodes in presence of an
electrolyte.
 Intergranular corrosion of aluminum alloys

2 mechanisms

Galvanic corrosion
Due to formation of
precipitates on grain Exfoliation
boundaries
 Galvanic corrosion

Galvanic cells form due to differences in composition at grain

boundaries
Different forms of galvanic cells
Likelihood and severity of corrosion depends on
Alloy composition
Degree of grain boundary precipitation
Corrosiveness of environment
 Expoliation

Aluminium-based alloys may be sensitive to intergranular corrosion if

there are layers of materials acting as anodes between the aluminium-
rich crystals. High strength aluminium alloys, especially when
subjected to high degree of working, can undergo exfoliation
corrosion.
Corrosion initiates on the surface and generally proceeds along the
grain boundaries, parallel to the surface.
The corrosion products that form on the grain boundaries take up a
considerably greater volume than the parent metal. Consequently, the
grains are forced away from the metal as the corrosion progresses,
resulting in a layered or flake-like appearance.

SL= short longitudinal

ST= short transverse
LT= longitudinal transverse
 Prevention of IGC

Use of low carbon grade stainless steels.

Use of stabilized grades alloyed with titanium or
niobium. Titanium and niobium are strong carbide
formers. They react with the carbon to form the
corresponding carbides, thereby preventing
chromium depletion.
Post welding treatment
Weak corrosive do not cause ICC
Low acidity(high ph) will generally reduce the
susceptibility to ICA.
 Case Study

Metallographic study of Ni-based alloy

A Ni-based alloy material of a reactor flange exhibited various forms of

cracking in a high-temperature chemical processing environment. The
polished cross section in the picture below shows a surface that has suffered
general corrosion
 Case Study

The surface was then etched. Inter-granular corrosion (IGC), the primary form
of attack, was found to be largely confined to the region of smaller grains found
close to the surface. To the depth of 50 micrometers, the color of the bulk was
different from the surface due to the formation of corrosion products. At 50-100
micrometers, the color gradually darkened to match that of the bulk metal, and
the well-defined cracks were confined primarily to grain boundaries
 Case Study

A powdery yellow reaction product was found on the

surface of the Ni-alloy specimen. A sample of this powdery
material was collected and analyzed by X-ray spectroscopy,
revealing the composition
Bad actors such as Cl- and S2- were detected at the surface
of the metal specimen. Both are known to promote general
corrosion and a variety of cracking mechanisms
The presence of Cr in the surface corrosion product implies
that it was lost from the alloy, thereby reducing its
corrosion resistance at the surface. This can be expected if
sensitization has occurred in the high temperature
operating environment
 Case Study

continuation of this crack further in the laboratory and

found the crack tip and the newly exposed area ahead of
the crack tip to have high graphitic C concentrations and
Cl- concentrations. No sulfur was detected at the deep
crack tip
The change in coloration suggests a change in phase
between the wedge and the surrounding bulk material
The deeper and wider grain separation suggests an
enhanced corrosion cracking mechanism, perhaps due to
galvanic coupling between the dissimilar metallic phases
 Conclusion

The high temperatures to which this material were

subjected caused sensitization (chromium carbide
formation at grain boundaries), leaving neighboring areas
within grains depleted of chromium and consequently more
susceptible to corrosion and inter-granular cracking
The presence of anions such as S2- and Cl- from the
processing environment contributed to crack initiation by
attacking susceptible areas at the surface
 References

http://www.corrosionclinic.com/types_of_corrosion/
weld_decay_weldment_corrosion.htm
https://www.nace.org/Corrosion-Central/Corrosion-
101/Intergranular-Corrosion/
https://books.google.com.pk/books?id=4lWwsuIbIUY
C&pg=PA82&lpg=PA82&dq=intergranular+corrosion
+by+fontana&source=bl&ots=TGha_huymz&sig=THc
bsIPPEc14Lo2uIvZy_ulSA28&hl=en&sa=X&ei=mSEy
VYeMC4LT7Qa04IG4Dw&ved=0CEYQ6AEwCQ#v=on
epage&q=intergranular%20corrosion%20by%20fonta
na&f=false