The mechanisms of hot salt stress corrosion cracking in titanium alloy Ti-6Al-2Sn-4Zr-6Mo

Abstract Hot salt stress corrosion cracking in Ti 6246 alloy has been investigated to elucidate the chemical mechanisms that occur. Cracking was found to initiate beneath salt particles in the presence of oxidation. The observed transgranular fracture was suspected to be due to hydrogen charging; XRD and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy detected the presence of hydrides that were precipitated on cooling. SEM-EDS showed oxygen enrichment near salt particles, alongside chlorine and sodium. Aluminium and zirconium were also involved in the oxidation reactions. The role of intermediate corrosion products such as Na 2 TiO 3 , Al 2 O 3 , ZrO 2 , TiCl 2 and TiH are discussed.