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The effects of the microstructural characteristics of Fe–0.33C–1.2Mn–xNb–xMo steels on hydrogen embrittlement fracture

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Abstract

The hydrogen embrittlement (HE) characteristics of Fe–0.33C–1.2Mn–xNb–xMo steels were investigated experimentally using various samples with differing microstructural characteristics. HE in steels was affected by hydrogen trapping sites: ε-carbide-based, Nb-based, and Mo-based precipitates, which were effective at enhancing HE resistance. In contrast, the prior austenite (γ) grain boundary within steel could act as hydrogen trapping sites and accelerate HE. In addition, hydrogen trapping occurred around the crack, leading to an acceleration of crack growth rate. There are various trapping sites in the steels with negative and positive effects on HE. The extent of the HE was clarified via tensile strength and resistance of delayed failure. Furthermore, the HE characteristics were analyzed using the samples with different quantity of hydrogen charged with two different methods. Based upon the above work, high HE resistance of the steel was proposed as Fe–0.33C–1.2Mn–0.05Nb–0.5Mo steels after a bake-hardening process at 170 °C for 20 min.

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Acknowledgements

This research was carried out as a part of a project of the Commission Business Future Exploitation Research Program administered by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO), Japan.

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  1. Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama University, 3-1-1 Tsushimanaka, Kita-ku, Okayama, 700-8530, Japan

    Mitsuhiro Okayasu, Ryo Arai & Takehide Senuma

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  1. Mitsuhiro Okayasu
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  2. Ryo Arai
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  3. Takehide Senuma
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Correspondence to Mitsuhiro Okayasu.

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Okayasu, M., Arai, R. & Senuma, T. The effects of the microstructural characteristics of Fe–0.33C–1.2Mn–xNb–xMo steels on hydrogen embrittlement fracture. Int J Fract 231, 257–274 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10704-021-00586-z

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