The stress corrosion cracking growth behavior of 316L stainless steel, which is used as nuclear auxiliary pipelines, was continuously monitored by a direct current potential drop method under a constant stress intensity factor K of 33 MPa·m1/2. By comparing the cracking behavior of this material at 200, 250, 280 and 325℃ in 2 mg·L-1 oxygenated water and deoxygenated water, we found that the crack growth rate is faster in the oxygenated water than in the deoxygenated water. Experimental results also show that there is a peak of the crack growth rate of this material in the deoxygenated water at 250℃, while the crack growth rate increases with the rise of temperature in the oxygenated water.
