In vitro corrosion fatigue of 316L cold worked stainless steel.

The corrosion resistance of 316L cold worked stainless steel depends upon its thin protective oxide layer; and if this is partially broken down, corrosion resistance depends upon its tendency for repassivation. Since the intended function of stainless-steel implants is to sustain musculoskeletal forces, research toward the stability of the oxide film during dynamic loading in simulated bodylike fluids is warranted. A pilot corrosion fatigue study was, therefore, performed on uniaxial tension fatigue specimens cycled to various maximum stress levels near their yield point while immersed in 37 degrees C isotonic saline solution, and combined with the electrochemical insult of (a) imparting an 800 mV vs. SCE anodic potential for 20 s to stimulate local film breakdown, and then (b) returning to a constant 200 mV vs. SCE anodic potential and maintaining that potential during cyclic loading until the specimens broke in two. During the anodic polarization by continuously monitoring the current it was possible to (a) observe the repassivation and corrosion behavior following stimulation, and (b) detect crack initiation, crack propagation and failure onset. The combined effects of accelerated corrosion and mechanical fatiguing disturbed the repassivation tendency and reduced the crack initiation times and the fatigue lives as compared to air and saline controls. As the maximum cyclic load levels were increased, the fatigue lives were further foreshortened.