Effects of Ce, Y and Mo addition on the stress accelerated oxidation of austenitic stainless steel in oxygenated high temperature water

Based upon the recent progress in mechanistic understanding of intergranular stress corrosion cracking (IGSCC) of austenitic stainless steels in high temperature water in light water reactor (LWR), the effects of Ce, Y, and Mo addition on oxidation kinetics under a tensile stress condition was investigated. Minor impurity of P was also studied. A kind of circumferentially notched tensile specimen was prepared to simulate the crack tip stress field. The notched specimens of different materials studied were applied with an almost constant load in simulated boiling water reactor (BWR) water. The oxidation was examined by the specimen cross section. It was shown that these elements have quite clear effects on the metal oxidation and alloying element distribution in the oxide layer.