ASTM A 262

Standard Practices for Detecting Susceptibility to Intergranular Attack in Austenitic Stainless

Steels

These practices cover the following five tests:

Practice A – Oxalic Acid Etch Test for Classification of Etch Structures of Austenitic
Stainless Steels

The oxalic acid etch test is used for acceptance of material but not for rejection of material.
This may be used in connection with other evaluation tests to provide a rapid method for identifying
those specimens that are certain to be free of susceptibility to rapid intergranular attack in these
other tests. Such specimens have low corrosion rates in the various hot acid tests, requiring from 4
to 240 h of exposure. These specimens are identified by means of their etch structures, which are
classified according to the following criteria:

 The oxalic acid etch test may be used to screen specimens intended for testing in
Practice B, C, E and F.
 Each practice contains a table showing which classifications of etch structures on
a given stainless steel grade are equivalent to acceptable, or possibly
nonacceptable performance in that particular test. Specimens having acceptable
etch structures need not be subjected to the hot acid test. Specimens having
nonacceptable etch structures must be tested in the specified hot acid solution.
 Extra-low-carbon grades, and stabilized grades, such as 304L, 316L, 317L, 321,
and 347, are tested after sensitizing heat treatments at 650 to 675°C (1200 to
1250°F), which is the range of maximum carbide precipitation. These sensitizing
treatments must be applied before the specimens are submitted to the oxalic acid
etch test. The most commonly used sensitizing treatment in 1 h at 675°C (1250°F).

Practice B – Ferric Sulfate-Sulfuric Acid Test for Detecting Susceptibility to Intergranular

Attack in Austenitic Stainless Steels

This practice describes the procedure for conducting the boiling 120-h ferric sulfate-50%
sulfuric acid test which measures the susceptibility of stainless steels to intergranular attack. The

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 ASTM A 262 Continued
presence or absence of intergranular attack in this test is not necessarily a measure of the
performance of the material in other corrosive environments. The test does not provide a basis for
predicting resistance to forms of corrosion other than intergranular, such as general corrosion,
pitting, or stress-corrosion cracking.

The ferric sulfate-sulfuric acid test detects susceptibility to intergranular attack associated with
the precipitation of chromium carbides in unstabilized austenitic stainless steels. It does not detect
susceptibility to intergranular attack associated with sigma phase in wrought austenitic stainless
steels containing molybdenum, such as Types 316, 316L, 317, and 317L. The ferric sulfate-sulfuric
acid test will detect intergranular corrosion associated with sigma phase in the cast stainless steels
CF-3M and CF-8M.

In stabilized stainless steel, Type 321 (and perhaps 347) and cast austenitic stainless steels
containing molybdenum such as Types CF-8M, CF-3M, CG-8M, and CG-3M, the ferric sulfate-
sulfuric acid test detects susceptibility associated with precipitated chromium carbides and with a
sigma phase that may be invisible in the microstructure.

The ferric sulfate-sulfuric acid test may be used to evaluate the heat treatment accorded as-
received material. It may also be used to check the effectiveness of stabilizing columbium or
titanium additions and of reductions in carbon content in preventing susceptibility to rapid
intergranular attack. It may be applied to wrought products (including tubes), casting, and weld
metal.

Specimens of extra low carbon and stabilized grades are tested after sensitizing heat
treatments at 650 to 675°C (1200 to 1250°F), which is the range of maximum carbide precipitation.
The length of time of heating used for this sensitizing treatment determines the maximum
permissible corrosion rate for such grades in the ferric sulfate-sulfuric acid test. The most commonly
used sensitizing treatment is 1 h at 675°C (1250°F).

Practice C – Nitric Acid Test for Detecting Susceptibility to Intergranular Attack in Austenitic
Stainless Steels

This practice describes the procedure for conducting the boiling nitric acid test as employed
to measure the relative susceptibility of austenitic stainless steels to intergranular attack. The
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 ASTM A 262 Continued
presence or absence of intergranular attack in this test is not necessarily a measure of the
performance of the material in other corrosive environments; in particular, it does not provide a basis
for predicting resistance to forms of corrosion other than intergranular, such as general corrosion,
pitting, or stress-corrosion cracking.

The boiling nitric acid test may be used to evaluate the heat treatment accorded “as-received”
material. It is also sometimes used to check the effectiveness of stabilizing elements and of
reductions in carbon content in preventing susceptibility to rapid intergranular attack.

Specimens of extra-low -carbon and stabilized grades are tested after sensitizing heat
treatments at 650 to 675°C (1200 to 1250°F), which is the range of maximum carbide precipitation.
The length of time used for this sensitizing treatment determines the maximum permissible corrosion
rate in the nitric acid test. The most commonly used sensitizing treatment is 1 h at 675°C (1250°F).
This practice may be applied to wrought products (including tubes), castings, and weld metal of the
various grades of stainless steel.

Practice E – Copper-Copper Sulfate-Sulfuric Acid Test for Detecting Susceptibility to

Intergranular Attack in Austenitic Stainless Steels

This practice describes the procedure by which the copper-copper sulfate-16% sulfuric acid
test is conducted to determine the susceptibility of austenitic stainless steels to intergranular attack.
The presence or absence of intergranular corrosion in this test is not necessarily a measure of the
performance of the material in other corrosive media. The test does not provide a basis for
predicting resistance to other forms of corrosion, such as general corrosion, pitting, or stress-
corrosion cracking.

The copper-copper sulfate-16% sulfuric acid test indicates susceptibility to intergranular

attack associated with the precipitation of chromium-rich carbides. It does not detect susceptibility
associated with sigma phase. This test may be used to evaluate the heat treatment accorded as-
received material. It may also be used to evaluate the effectiveness of stabilizing element additions
(Cb, Ti, and so forth) and reductions in carbon content to aid in resisting intergranular attack. All
wrought products and weld material of austenitic stainless steels can be evaluated by this test.

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 ASTM A 262 Continued
Practice F – Copper-Copper Sulfate-50% Sulfuric Acid Test for Detecting Susceptibility to
Intergranular Attack in Molybdenum-Bearing Cast Austenitic Stainless Steels

This practice describes the procedure for conducting the boiling copper-copper sulfate-50%
sulfuric acid test, which measures the susceptibility of stainless steels to intergranular attack. The
presence or absence of intergranular attack in this test is not necessarily a measure of the
performance of the material in other corrosive environments. The test does not provide a basis for
predicting resistance to forms of corrosion other than intergranular, such as general corrosion,
pitting, or stress-corrosion cracking.

This test may be used to evaluate the susceptibility of as received material to intergranular
corrosion caused by chromium carbide precipitation. It may also be used to evaluate the resistance
of extra-low-carbon grades to sensitization to intergranular attack caused by welding or heat
treatments.

This test should not be used to detect susceptibility to intergranular attack resulting from the
formation of sigma phase. For detecting susceptibility to environments known to cause intergranular
attack due to sigma, use Practice B or C.

If you have any questions concerning this particular ASTM method, please feel free to give our office
a call at (800) 334-5432 or email us your inquiry at info@nhml.com.

(A262, A-262, A 262)

Extracted with permission, from ASTM Standard A-262-02ae3, 2007, “Standard Practices for Detecting Susceptibility to Intergranular
Attack in Austenitic Stainless Steels,” copyright ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, West Conshohocken, PA 19428. A copy of
the complete standard may be purchased from ASTM International, www.astm.org.

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www.nhml.com  info@nhml.com
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