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Fracture surface topography analysis of the hydrogen-related fracture propagation process in martensitic steel

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Abstract

The hydrogen-related fracture propagation process in martensitic steel was investigated through crystallographic orientation and fracture surface topography analyses. The hydrogen-related fracture surface consisted of three typical surfaces, namely smooth surfaces, surfaces with serrated markings, and surfaces with dimples. Crystallographic orientation analysis suggested that the smooth surface was generated by intergranular fracture at prior austenite grain boundaries, and the surface with serrated markings originated from quasi-cleavage fracture propagated along \(\{011\}\) planes. According to the reconstructed fracture propagation process by fracture surface topography analysis, the intergranular fracture at prior austenite grain boundaries initiated and propagated suddenly at the early stages of fracture. The quasi-cleavage fracture along \(\{011\}\) planes then gradually propagated within the prior austenite grains. At the final stages of fracture, ductile fracture accompanied by dimples occurred around the edge of the specimen. The results clearly indicated that the fracture propagation path changed with the proceeding fracture from the prior austenite grain boundaries to along \(\{011\}\) planes within the prior austenite grains.

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Acknowledgements

This study was financially supported by a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B) (No. 15H04158), and the Elements Strategy Initiative for Structural Materials (ESISM), all through the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), Japan.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Kyoto University, Yoshida-honmachi, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8501, Japan

    Akinobu Shibata, Takahiro Matsuoka & Nobuhiro Tsuji

  2. Elements Strategy Initiative for Structural Materials (ESISM), Kyoto University, Yoshida-honmachi, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8501, Japan

    Akinobu Shibata & Nobuhiro Tsuji

  3. Department of Mechanical Engineering, College of Science and Engineering, Ritsumeikan University, Noji-higashi, Kusatsu, 525-8577, Japan

    Akira Ueno

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  1. Akinobu Shibata
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  2. Takahiro Matsuoka
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  3. Akira Ueno
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  4. Nobuhiro Tsuji
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Correspondence to Akinobu Shibata.

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Shibata, A., Matsuoka, T., Ueno, A. et al. Fracture surface topography analysis of the hydrogen-related fracture propagation process in martensitic steel. Int J Fract 205, 73–82 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10704-017-0182-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10704-017-0182-6

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