Low-Potential Zone at the Interface of Precipitate and Austenite Affecting Intergranular Corrosion Sensitivity in UNS N08028 Nickel–Iron–Chromium Alloy

The precipitates and the intergranular corrosion behavior of a UNS N08028 nickel–iron–chromium alloy sensitized at different temperatures were studied by employing transmission electron microscopy, Kelvin probe force microscopy and other methods. It was found that sigma precipitates appeared at the grain boundaries of the alloy being sensitized. There was a Cr-depleted zone and a low-potential zone around these precipitates. The potential difference between the sigma precipitates and the low-potential zone was 102 mV, and this increased with the growth of the sigma precipitates. At this potential difference, the migration of the vacancies in the passive film accelerated significantly, and then the protectiveness of the passive film decreased. The intergranular corrosion mechanism of the steel has also be discussed.