The effect of hydrogen on the multiaxial stress-strain behavior of titanium tubing

Abstract

The influence of internal hydrogen on the multiaxial stress-strain behavior of commercially pure titanium has been studied. Thin-walled tubing specimens containing either 20 or 1070 ppm hydrogen have been tested at constant stress ratios in combined tension and internal pressure. The addition of hydrogen lowers the yield strength for all loading paths but has no significant effect on the strain hardening behavior at strains ε ≥ 0.02. Thus, the hydrogen embrittlement of titanium under plain strain or equibiaxial loading is not a consequence of changes of flow behavior. The yielding behavior of this anisotropic material is described well by Hill’s quadratic yield criterion. As measured mechanically and by pole figure analysis, the plastic anisotropy changes with deformation in a manner which depends on stress state. Hill’s criterion and the associated flow rule do not describe the multiaxial flow behavior well because of their inability to account for changes of texture which depend on multiaxial stress path. Hence, a strain dependent, texture-induced strengthening effect in equibiaxial tension is observed, this effect having the form of an enhanced strain hardening rate.