Thesis (M.S.)--Oregon Graduate Center, 1985.

Pits have been observed to initiate at certain inclusions in stainless steel, which affect the composition and properties of the passive film in that region. In this thesis, the VG MA500 high resolution scanning Auger microscope associated with Link EDX is used to investigate the surface chemistry of inclusion groups in stainless steel 316 relative to the bulk composition, before and after exposure to sodium chloride solution. The work demonstrates that careful control of experimental conditions allows the progress of initiation of pits to be observed systematically. The role of inclusions as initiators of pitting corrosion has been studied from the very inception of attack. Detailed observation have been taken from separate manganese sulphide as well as mixture of manganese sulphide and multi-element oxide at various pH values of solutions to trace the behaviour of these inclusions during exposures. It is suggested from this investigation that corrosive attack starts on MnS inclusion proper. The dissolution of MnS takes place in sodium chloride solution followed by the acidification in the microarea and dissolution of metal in the region adjacent to the inclusion. The mechanism for the crevice corrosion is of importance after the microcrevice forms. The observations showed that sulphur precipitated on the area surrounding the inclusion group in acidic sodium chloride solution. This is in contrast to the finding in prior studies by electron probe or EDX analyses in which sulphur precipitation was only observed on the inclusion. Because pitting normally occurs on surfacesthat are initially exposed to air before being immersed in the corrosive solution, an understanding of the change of surface film associated with the change of medium is very important. XPS was used in this work to study the air formed and aqueous films, the transformation when the specimens were immersed in solutions. The study of the energy-loss structure of photoelectron peaks has lead to a better understanding of these various films. It has been used to study in greater detail the composition and properties of the films formed on Fe-Cr alloys during oxidation, vacuum annealing, and to find the relationship between the depth distribution of the components in the films and energy loss background of photoelectron peaks. Three features are of particular importance: the background loss tail height, the baseline slope and the post-peak loss structure. These features have been related quantitatively to the relative amounts of the element and the surrounding matrix in the layers which contribute the greatest signal at any given take-off angle. The present work illustrates that the additional depth information available from closer inspection of the inelastic loss background feature may aid an understanding of the change from the air-formed film to the aqueous film as well its effect on the initiation of pits in stainless steel 316. The combination of AES and EDX with high spatial resolution gave an opportunity to re-investigate the initiation of pits at the site of inclusion on stainless steel by offering both bulk and surface information. The use of AES and XPS associated with the energy loss structure of photoelectron peaks facilitates a comprehensive understanding for the whole surface of various films and the local areas which are involved in the formation of pits.

A study of the constitution, transformation and precipitation effects in ternary Fe-Cr-Ni alloys and quaternary Fe-Cr-Ni-X alloys containing Mo, Nb, Ti, and Si was carried out. A systematic approach was adopted so that the microstructural effects observed as a result of ageing the selected iron base ternary alloys could be directly compared to the quaternary alloys. A series of ageing curves were plotted for the six ternary alloys over the temperature range 400°-900°C and for the ten quaternary alloys in the temperature range 650°-850°C. Optical and electron metallography were used to study the transformation and precipitation of intermetallic phases and carbides in the aged microstructures. The transformation of delta ferrite to sigma phase in a duplex (gamma+delta) ternary alloy was studied. The transformation was preceded by the precipitation of a cellular structure which formed on the delta/gamma grain boundaries and consisted of M23C6 and new austenite. A complex transformation product, which resembled a region of imiscibility, then formed at the delta/(gamma + M23C6) interface, this product consumed the delta ferrite grain, eventually transforming to sigma phase and new austenite. The alpha' phase, more commonly referred to as 475°C embrittlement, was also observed precipitating in the delta ferrite grains in two of the iron based ternary alloys in the temperature region 400°-500°C. Overageing of the alpha' precipitates after 1000 hours at 500°G was accompanied by the precipitation of a rod like austenite. The elements 2%Mo, 1%Nb, 1/4%Ti and 1% and 2%Si were added totwo Fe-Ni-Cr base alloys. One alloy was an austenitic (20Cr,23Ni) and the other was a transformable alloy (18Cr, 7Ni). The quaternary element additions had no effect on the constitution of the austenitic ternary alloy. However the addition of Mo to the 18Cr, 7Ni ternary alloy caused the transformation of delta ferrite to sigma phase over ageing temperature range 650°-850°C. The addition of Si moved the constitution of the ternary alloy further into the gamma+delta phase field, a small amount of sigma phase was observed in the 2%Si quaternary alloy on ageing at 650°C for 1000 hours. Irradiation damage studies were performed using High Voltage Electron Microscope and Variable Energy Cyclotron. The effect ofthe quaternary alloying additions Mo, Si, and Nb on the voidswelling behaviour of a 20Cr, 23Ni alloy were studied using 46MeV Ni6 ions in the Variable Energy Cyclotron, irradiating to a total dose of 10dpa at 550°C. All additions reduced void swelling, the largest reduction was observed in the Si containing allov. The Insert A Thermal ageing showed the presence of M23C6 the amount of which increased with increasing ageing temperature. No delta ferrite was observed in these alloys.

M.Ing. (Civil Engineering) / The results of a study presented on the behaviour of cold-formed stainless steel beams subjected to shear taking into account elastic shear buckling, inelastic shear buckling and shear yielding, as well as an investigation into the interaction relationship between shear and bending are presented. From this investigation the results obtained show good relation to the theory. The local shear buckling stress was experimentally determined and it was found that for unreinforced beam webs the shear buckling coefficient is that of an infinitely long plate, namely k=5,34. A good agreement between the experimental ultimate shear strength and the predicted ultimate shear strength was found. Stainless steel beams comprising of lipped channels were manufactured and tested to failure. The types of stainless steels used in this investigation were Types 304, 316, 430 and Type 3CR12 corrosion resiting steel, a modified Type 409 stainless steel. The stress-strain relationship for stainless steels differs from that of carbon steel in that stainless steel is a gradual yielding material. It was concluded in this investigation that Gerard's plasticity reduction factor, Gs/G o, should be used as a plasticity reduction factor in calculations concerning shear. It was found that present design criteria are adequate.

A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Engineering, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Engineering Johannesburg, 2018 / The use of austenitic stainless steels in harsh environments at elevated temperatures has increasingly become a global problem, these alloys can fail unpredictably when subjected to tensile stresses and chlorides. Hence the study was focused on understanding the environmentally assisted cracking of Ru enriched laser alloyed layers on 304L stainless steel in a corrosive environment at elevated temperatures. The Ru composition of laser alloyed samples was 0, 0.96, 1.96, 4.74 and 9.2 wt%. Microstructural analysis and microhardness measurements were performed in order to understand the grain orientation and resistance to indentation respectively. The bend beam SCC test was conducted by stressing the samples to 350 MPa and exposing them to 50 ppm sodium chloride with 10 ppm dissolved oxygen at 160°C for 172 hours. The results revealed a significant improvement in the SCC resistance. The samples with lower Ru content (0, 0.98 and 1.96 wt%) were less susceptible to SCC when compared to as-received 304L stainless steel. Cracks initiated from pits and propagated transgranularly on the alloyed layer. The crack growth rate decreased as the Ru content was increased. The samples with 4.74 and 9.2 wt% Ru were immune to SCC. Electrochemical test results showed improved corrosion resistance when the Ru level was increased to 1.96 wt%. Thereafter, there was a gradual increase in corrosion rates for samples with 4.74 and 9.2 wt% Ru. However, these corrosion rates were lower when compared to as-received 304L stainless steel. Another SCC test was conducted to investigate fractography of vacuum remelted samples alloyed with Ru. The results showed ductile failure for most of the samples and the maximum stress threshold of 580 MPa was archived on samples with 1.07 wt% Ru. There was a sudden increase in failure time, % elongation and % reduction in area when the Ru content was increased to 1.07 wt%. In essence, laser surface alloying 304L stainless steel with higher Ru content (more than 2wt%) improves SCC resistance, but does not improve the general corrosion resistance, therefore a careful selection for any application is necessary. However, the cost analysis revealed the laser surface alloying of 304L stainless steel with Ru to be more efficient over other corrosion resistant materials. / MT 2018

A research report submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Masters of Science in Engineering to the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2019 / The report considers survival mechanisms used by Platinum Group Metal (PGM) producers over the period 2008 to 2017 when mining operations were considered marginal for an extended period. Various methods to build cost curves for the PGM industry were tested, with co-product costing, inclusive of sustaining capital, selected. Industry cost curves were developed for the period, showing that a significant portion of producers were marginal from 2014 to 2017, with Impala lease area, Rustenburg mines and Lonmin marginal for more than two years in that period. Survival was achieved through cross-subsidisation, utilising cash reserves, deferring sustaining capital, re-capitalisation and working capital management, before ultimately restructuring through sale or closure took place. While industry cost curves were effective at indicating operational competitiveness in a particular year, a mechanism to indicate relative financial strength (ability to sustain this position) needs to be sought. / TL (2020)

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