In this chapter, a mathematical model for rate of formation of chromium carbides near the grain boundary, which is a pre-cursor to chromium depletion and corresponding sensitization behavior in stainless steels, is presented. This model along with the diffusion equation for chromium in the grain has been used to obtain chromium depletion profiles at various time and temperature conditions. Finite difference method has been used to solve the above equations in the spherical co-ordinate system and the results of time-temperature-sensitization diagrams of four different types of alloys have been compared with those of experiment from literature. For the problem of low temperature sensitization and corresponding inter-granular corrosion in austenitic stainless steel, it is very difficult to carry out experiment at higher temperatures and justify its validity at lower operating temperatures by extrapolation. The development of predictive models is highly useful in order to design the structures for prevention of corrosion of the material in aggressive environments.
On the Role of Grain Size and Carbon Content on the Sensitization and Desensitization Behavior of 301 Austenitic Stainless Steel