Effect of Solution Annealing Time on the Microstructure and Corrosion Resistance of Duplex Stainless Steel
The formation of intermetallic phases during thermal treatments is a decisive point for the performance of duplex stainless steels, which may prevent the obtaining or provoke degradation of their properties. This paper presents an investigation on the corrosion resistance of duplex SAF 2205 steel as received and after solution annealing treatment. The objective was to evaluate the correlation between the solution annealing time, the resulting microstructural changes and the corrosion resistance of the steel through electrochemical tests of cyclic potentiodynamic polarization and double-cycle potentiokinetic reactivation (DL-EPR). The heat treatments were performed at 1100° C for 30, 120 and 240 min with subsequent air cooling. The results of the DL-EPR showed that although there was no presence of intermetallic phases even with the absence of intermetallic phases, the solution annealing time influenced the degree of chromium depletion of the samples, so that with the increase of time, there was an increase in the degree of chrome depletion.