Abstract: The stress corrosion cracking (SCC) behaviour of X-70 pipeline steel in near-neutral pH solutions was studied $via$ slow strain rate testing (SSRT). The results showed that the cracking mode of X-70 pipeline steel in near-neutral pH solutions was transgranular at different temperatures and applied potentials with the feature of quasi-cleavage. The pH value of the solution decreased with increasing the addition of CO¬2, which increased the susceptibility to SCC. SCC susceptibility increased as the applied potential moved towards the cathodic direction, suggesting that hydrogen induced cracking (HIC) dominated the cracking process at cathodic potentials. The slight decrease of pH values with decreasing temperature of the solution increased the susceptibility to SCC, which attributed to the change of solubility of CO¬2 in the solution at different temperatures. The propagating directions of SCC cracks were different at different potentials. At rather negative cathodic potentials, the cracks were almost perpendicular to the tensile axis, while at free corrosion potential and near anodic potentials, cracks were nearly at 45 degree, and in the range of moderate cathodic potentials both propagating directions could be observed.

Key words: Pipeline steel, Stress corrosion cracking, Near-neutral pH, Potential