Prisma ODS Revista Científica Multidisciplinar
Volumen 5, Número 3 - Año 2026
Página | 1
PORTADA
(Elaborada por la revista
Prisma ODS Revista Científica Multidisciplinar
Volumen 5, Número 3 - Año 2026
Página | 784
Dúplex Stainless Steel with Silicon Carbide Coating to Avoid
Stress Corrosion Cracking in Generators of Transformers and
Besides Raise Thermal Conductivity, Efficiency
Acero inoxidable dúplex con recubrimiento de carburo de silicio para evitar el
agrietamiento por corrosión bajo tensión en generadores de transformadores y,
además, aumentar la conductividad térmica y la eficiencia
David Juárez Romero
djuarezr7@gmail.com
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0942-9738
Centro de Investigación en Ingeniería y Ciencias Aplicadas (CIICAp)
México
Ricardo Reyes Hernández
ricardo.reyes@uaem.mx
https://orcid.org/0009-0000-7474-5126
Centro de Investigación en Ingeniería y Ciencias Aplicadas (CIICAp)
México
Rene Guardian Tapia
rene.guardian@uaem.mx
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8175-5664
Centro de Investigación en Ingeniería y Ciencias Aplicadas (CIICAp)
México
Ángel Horacio Hernández Soria
angel.hernandez@uaem.mx
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0126-0336
Centro de Investigación en Ingeniería y Ciencias Aplicadas (CIICAp)
México
Sandro Guadalupe Pérez Grajales
sandro.perez@uaem.mx
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7976-8623
Centro de Investigación en Ingeniería y Ciencias Aplicadas (CIICAp)
México
Artículo recibido: 18/07/2026
Aceptado para publicación: 21/08/2026
Conflictos de Intereses: Ninguno que declarar
Prisma ODS Revista Científica Multidisciplinar
Volumen 5, Número 3 - Año 2026
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ABSTRACT
The novel 18Cr-18Mn duplex steel arose from the need to prevent catastrophic failures
caused by stress corrosion cracking in generator retaining rings. In this work, we propose using
this material with a silicon carbide coating to prevent SCC failures in generators, which cause
cracking in the materials. Since 18Cr-18Mn duplex steel is not susceptible to stress corrosion
cracking, the SiC coating is expected to increase the steel's thermal conductivity and has also
been used as a corrosion inhibitor. The steel will be developed, and its composition and
microstructure will be characterized using SEM and X-ray diffraction equipment.
Electrochemical tests of potentiodynamic polarization and electrochemical impedance will be
performed to determine its corrosion behavior. Furthermore, its mechanical behavior will be
characterized by performing hardness and/or microhardness tests and tensile tests to obtain its
engineering properties. It is expected to develop a steel with excellent properties of high
thermal conductivity and good resistance to cracking corrosion that is suitable for
manufacturing Transformer Generators.
Keywords: duplex stainless steel, SiC coating, thermal conductivity, SCC
Prisma ODS Revista Científica Multidisciplinar
Volumen 5, Número 3 - Año 2026
Página | 786
RESUMEN
El acero dúplex 18Cr-18Mn surgió de la necesidad de prevenir fallos catastróficos
causados por el agrietamiento por corrosión bajo tensión (SCC, por sus siglas en inglés) en los
anillos de retención de generadores. En este trabajo, se propone utilizar este material con un
recubrimiento de carburo de silicio para evitar fallos por SCC en generadores, los cuales
provocan grietas en los materiales. Dado que el acero dúplex 18Cr-18Mn no es susceptible al
agrietamiento por corrosión bajo tensión, se espera que el recubrimiento de SiC aumente la
conductividad térmica del acero, además de actuar como inhibidor de la corrosión. Se
desarrollará el acero y se caracterizarán su composición y microestructura mediante equipos
de microscopía electrónica de barrido (SEM) y difracción de rayos X. Se realizarán ensayos
electroquímicos de polarización potenciodinámica e impedancia electroquímica para
determinar su comportamiento frente a la corrosión. Asimismo, se caracterizará su
comportamiento mecánico mediante ensayos de dureza y/o microdureza y ensayos de tracción
para obtener sus propiedades de ingeniería. Se espera desarrollar un acero con excelentes
propiedades de alta conductividad térmica y buena resistencia al agrietamiento por corrosión,
adecuado para la fabricación de generadores.
Palabras clave: acero inoxidable dúplex, recubrimiento de SiC, conductividad térmica,
SCC
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INTRODUCTION
Transformers are versatile devices that can be used for various applications. They are used in
climate control systems (heating and cooling), water purification, seawater desalination,
pollutant collection (CO2, Si2O), and as electricity generators. Therefore, their applications are
very important, as some address global environmental challenges such as seawater desalination
and atmospheric pollutant capture.
They are highly efficient, generating more energy than they consume.
Failures due to stress corrosion cracking in the shell and tubes of generators have occurred,
causing cracks.
Generators are critical components of transformers, within which fluids, often corrosive, flow
at high velocities and temperatures, causing tensile stresses and tribocorrosion in the materials.
These tensile stresses lead to cracks in the steel, which can result influid leaks and the mixing
of reacting solutions, causing catastrophic damage. If the materials chosen for their design are
unsuitable, if they are susceptible to stress corrosion cracking, then cracks will inevitably occur.
18Cr-18Mn steel was developed due to stress corrosion cracking problems in retaining rings
during equipment operation (1), which led to several failures, some of them catastrophic. 18Cr-
18Mn steel occurs in an austenitic or duplex phase. Duplex steel is characterized by its
resistance to stress corrosion cracking, making it ideal for processes involving these types of
stresses. Consequently, the steel has not exhibited cracking failures.
18Cr-18Mn steel also possesses high hardness and cold formability.
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Figure 1. Generator in Heat Transformer
Source: own elaboration.
Figure 2. Heat generator
Source: own elaboration.
Silicon carbide is a ceramic material. It has high conductivity and low thermal expansion, low
density, high wear resistance, good oxidation resistance, excellent chemical resistance, high
thermal shock resistance, high resistance to elevated temperatures, and ultra-high hardness.
Silicon carbide (SiC), also known as carborundum, is a ceramic material with very high
hardness and ultra-high thermal conductivity. Due to its structure, it is almost as hard as
diamond and also has high mechanical strength. It withstands high temperatures because it is a
refractory material.
Silicon carbide is obtained from carbon and silicon oxide:
SiO₂ + 3 C → SiC + 2 CO
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Some of its properties are: a density of 3.21 g/cm3, a molecular weight of 40.11 g/mol, and a
melting point of 2,730 °C.
METhODOLOGY
Twelve samples, each 1 cm x 1 cm x 0.3 cm thick, will be cut. Six of these samples will be
coated with a layer of SiC using laser ablation.
The samples will be analyzed using SEM and X-rays to determine their composition and
microstructure.
A GILL-AC potentiostat will be used to perform corrosion tests on the steels. The techniques
employed will be potentiodynamic polarization, impedance, and electrochemical noise.
In addition, the steel will be mechanically characterized. Hardness and/or microhardness tests
will be performed using a durometer or microhardness tester, and tensile tests will be conducted
using a tensile testing machine.
All of this will be carried out following the scientific method at all times.
The results will be analyzed.
Each test will be performed three times to verify the consistency of the results obtained.
RESULTS AND DISCUSION
The most important factor in transformer generators is the thermal conductivity of the
materials. Inside heat generators, constant heat exchanges occur between the working fluids
and the equipment's construction materials; this is necessary for energy generation.
Furthermore, these materials must be resistant to thermal shock, high working temperatures
and pressures, and the corrosion suffered by equipment due to the transport of aggressive
(corrosive) fluids. The material we are proposing is expected to have high strength and
minimize the problems reported in Transformer Generators. A suitable material for generator
construction is expected due to the non-susceptibility to SCC of 18Cr-18Mn steel and the anti-
corrosive properties and ultra-high thermal conductivity of silicon carbide.
Prisma ODS Revista Científica Multidisciplinar
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Figure 3. Crevice corrosion
Source: own elaboration.
Figure 4. Corrosion in generator
Source: own elaboration.
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Figure 5. Corrosion on pipes
Source: own elaboration.
Figure 6. Corrosion on flange
Source: own elaboration.
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Figure 7. Heat pump diagram
Source: own elaboration.
Figure 8. Silice Carbide
Source: own elaboration.
It is expected to obtain a suitable material for Transformer Generators that reduces the
corrosion problem and also considerably increases the thermal conductivity in the working area
of the Generator.
Duplex 18Cr-18Mn steel is expected to reduce the problem of stress corrosion cracking due to
its non-susceptibility to this type of corrosion.
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SiC also generally increases the corrosion resistance of materials.
It is expected that the developed material will have ultra-high thermal conductivity, due to the
addition of SiC which has excellent thermal conductivity, above 110 W/mK, thus improving
the thermal conductivity of steel which is between 15 and 25 W/mK.
18Cr-18Mn steel has high formability, even when cold.
SiC has a very high hardness.
CONCLUSIONS
The aim is to develop a material suitable for Transformer Generators that supports continuous
manufacturing improvement for this industry and serves as a basis for the manufacture of these
heat exchange equipment, reducing problems and incidents caused by corrosion and increasing
the efficiency of the equipment.
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© Los autores. Este artículo se publica en Prisma ODS bajo la Licencia Creative Commons
Atribución 4.0 Internacional (CC BY 4.0). Esto permite el uso, distribución y reproducción en
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los autores y a la fuente original.
: https://doi.org/10.65011/prismaods.v5.i3.322
Cómo citar este artículo (APA 7ª edición):
Juárez Romero, D., Reyes Hernández, R., Guardian Tapia, R., Hernández Soria, Ángel H., &
Pérez Grajales, S. G. (2026). Dúplex Stainless Steel with Silicon Carbide Coating to Avoid
Stress Corrosion Cracking in Generators of Transformers and Besides Raise Thermal
Conductivity, Efficiency. Prisma ODS: Revista Multidisciplinaria Sobre Desarrollo
Sostenible, 5(3), 784-795. https://doi.org/10.65011/prismaods.v5.i3.322
