Effect of solution-treated temperature on hydrogen embrittlement of 17-4 PH stainless steel

• Published in: Materials science & engineering. A, Structural materials : properties, microstructure and processing Vol. 703; pp. 413 - 421
• Main Authors: Shen, Sicong, Li, Xinfeng, Zhang, Peng, Nan, Yanli, Yang, Gongxian, Song, Xiaolong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Lausanne Elsevier B.V 04.08.2017; Elsevier BV
• Subjects: Alloy steels; Grain size; Hydrogen; Hydrogen charging; Hydrogen embrittlement; Hydrogen permeation; Martensitic stainless steels; Microstructure; Precipitation; Precipitation hardening steels; Prior austenite grain size; Slow strain rate; Solution-treated temperature; Stainless steel; Strain rate; Tensile tests; Precipitation; Solution-treated temperature; Prior austenite grain size; Hydrogen embrittlement
• ISSN: 0921-5093; 1873-4936
• DOI: 10.1016/j.msea.2017.06.078

The effect of solution-treated temperature on hydrogen embrittlement of 17-4 PH stainless steel is investigated. Electrochemical hydrogen charging and slow strain rate tensile tests were used to calculate the index of susceptibility to hydrogen embrittlement. Fracture morphology and microstructure of the steel were observed by scanning electron microscope, optical microscope and transmission electron microscope. The results show that as the solution-treated temperature increases from 890°C to 1090°C, the susceptibility to hydrogen embrittlement of the steel firstly decreases and then increases. Based on the experimental results, it is deemed that the susceptibility to hydrogen embrittlement is determined by the result of a combined effect of the prior austenite grain size and copper precipitation. In addition, hydrogen permeation test result reveals that hydrogen-induced cracking of 17-4 PH steel is closely related to the diffusion behavior of hydrogen in alloys.