Effect of Laser Shock Peening on the Stress Corrosion Cracking of 304L Stainless Steel

Storage canisters used in nuclear power plants operating in seaside areas—where the salt content in the atmosphere is high—may be susceptible to chloride-induced stress corrosion cracking (CISCC). Chloride-induced stress corrosion cracking is one of the ways in which dry storage canisters made of stainless steel can degrade. Stress corrosion cracking depends on the microstructure and residual stress, and it is therefore very important to improve the surface properties of materials. Laser shock peening both greatly deforms the material surface and refines grains, and it generates compressive residual stress in the deep part from the surface of the material. This study focused on the effect of laser shock peening on the stress corrosion cracking of 304L stainless steel. The laser shock peening was found to induce compressive residual stress from the surface to a 1 mm depth, and the SCC properties were evaluated by a U-bend test. The results showed that the SCC resistance of laser-peened 304L stainless steel in a chloride environment was enhanced, and that it was closely related to grain size, the pitting potential of the cross section, and residual stress.