9314175 Lopez This Americas Program award will support Prof. Hugo Lopez of the University of Wisconsin in a research collaboration with Prof. Lorenzo Martinez of the Materials Laboratory of the Institute of Physics of the National Autonomous University (UNAM) of Mexico. The researchers will investigate the performance of an X-80 steel in sour environments, particularly at temperatures above 100 degrees C. They aim to obtain a full characterization of the microstructure and strength of received and heat-treated steels, and expose fracture-mechanics specimens to sour environments by means of direct current electrical potential drop methods for continuous monitoring of crack growth. Steel microstructure characterization will be done at UNAM while the U.S. side will focus on the continuous monitoring of crack propagation rates under sour gas environments. Expected outcomes of this work include the determination of the influence of temperature on steel resistance to sour environments, correlation of steel properties and microstructural features with conditions for crack growth and severity of damage, and further insights on the role of alloying additions and steel strength on its susceptibility to cracking under various testing environments. ***
