The effects of substituting W for Mo in AISI 316 austenitic stainless steel on corrosion resistance and mechanical properties were investigated.
Tungsten content employed were 2.5 and 5.0 w/o.
Tungsten addition to 316 austenitic stainless steel was not effective in preventing pitting corrosion compared with Molybdenum containing alloy.
Passive film formed in corrosive environment was analyzed by Electron Spectroscopy for Chemical Analysis (ESCA).
The analysis showed that atomic fraction of W in the passive film was lower than that of Mo contained regular 316 alloy.
Poor pitting corrosion resistance in W containing alloy is attributed to the lower concentration of W in the passive film.
Yield strength of W containing alloy increased gradually with the amount of W content.
However, tensile strength was lowered about 4% by the addition of W.