Abstract
The study deals with an interesting case of a stainless-steel steam mesh brittle fracturing in a coal power station. The material was studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), metallography, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and glow discharge optical emission spectroscopy (GD-OES). The analyses showed an elevated content of copper in the material. Copper was notably enriched in an oxide layer where it occurs mostly in an oxide form, although metallic copper was also detected. Copper oxidation and reduction cause defects within the oxide layer and, in connection with mechanical stress, results in intergranular cracking of steel.

Key words
stainless steel, oxidation, X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), glow discharge optical emission spectroscopy (GD-OES)

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