Abstract
Hydrogen embrittlement is due to the introduction of hydrogen either from a gaseous or from a liquid environment. The solubility of hydrogen in iron is temperature dependent. So is the diffusion. At low temperatures traps control the diffusion of hydrogen. Supersaturation of hydrogen results in the precipitation of cavities. The modification of the surface energy results in hydrogen enhanced decohesion; its interaction with dislocations in hydrogen enhanced local plasticity. Crack propagation takes place above a stress intensity factor threshold. When it is high enough stress-independent crack propagation is controlled by the diffusion of hydrogen. Embrittlement of hydride forming metals is due to the brittleness of the hydrides. Stress corrosion cracking initiation and propagation depend on anodic dissolution and cathodic hydrogen introduction. This interacts with slip mechanisms. Crack propagation stops below a critical stress intensity factor threshold. It becomes stress independent at higher levels of stress intensity factor. Similar mechanisms are responsible for corrosion fatigue. The cases of long and of short cracks are distinguished. Liquid metal induced embrittlement is due to modification of the surface energy. Liquid embrittling metals also reduce the cohesion energy and the core energy of dislocations. The same embrittling metals are active in the solid state resulting in solid metal induced embrittlement.
Keywords
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Notes
- 1.
Svante August Arrhenius (1859–1927) was a Swedish chemist who won the Nobel Prize in 1903.
- 2.
Pierre Curie (1859–1906) was a French physicist winner of the Nobel Prize with his wife Marie Curie in 1903.
- 3.
Piotr Alexandrovitch Rehbinder (1898–1972) was a Russian physico-chemist. He discovered the “Rehbinder effect” in 1928.
References
ABAQUS (2008) User’s manual version 6.8. Dassault System Simulia Co., Providence RI USA
Abraham DP, Altstetter CJ (1995) Hydrogen-enhanced localization of plasticity in an austenitic stainless steel. Metall Mater Trans A 26A:2859–2871
Amzallag C, Mayonobe B, Rabbe P (1981) A strain controlled technique for assessing the corrosion-fatigue sensitivity of stainless steels. In: Electrochemical corrosion testing. ASTM-STP 727, ASTM Philadelphia, pp 69–83
Anderson PM, Wang JS, Rice JR (1990) Thermodynamic and mechanical models of interfacial embrittlement. In: Olson GB, Azrin M, Wright ES (eds) Innovations in ultrahigh-strength steel technology. Proceedings of the 34th Sagamore army materials research conference, pp 619–649
ASM International. Handbook committee (2002) ASM handbook, vol 11: Failure analysis and prevention, pp 861–867
Auger T, Lorang G, Guérin S, Pastol J-L, Gorse D (2004) Effect of contact conditions on the embrittlement of T91 steel by lead-bismuth. J Nucl Mater 335:227–231
Barnoush A, Vehoff H (2008) In situ electrochemical nanoindentation: a technique for local examination of hydrogen embrittlement. Corros Sci 50:259–267
Beachem CD (1972) A new model for hydrogen assisted cracking (hydrogen embrittlement). Metall Trans 3:437–451
Birnbaum HK (1990) In: Gangloff RP, Ives MB (eds) Environmental induced cracking of metals. NACE, Huston, pp 21–29
Bradshaw FJ (1967) The effect of gaseous environment on fatigue crack propagation. Scrip Metall 1:41–43
Briant CL, Hall EL (1987) The microstructural causes of intergranular corrosion of alloys 82 and 182. Corrosion 43:539–548
Combrade P, Magnin T (2002) Fissuration assistée par l’environnement. In: Béranger G, Mazille H (eds) Corrosion des métaux et alliages: mécanismes et phénomènes. Hermes, Paris, pp 229–258
Coudreuse L, Bocquet P (1995) In: Turnbull A (ed) Hydrogen transport and cracking in metals. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp 227–252
Dawson DB, Pelloux R (1974) Corrosion fatigue crack growth of Ti alloys in aqueous environment. Metall Trans A 5:723–731
Delafosse D, Magnin T (2001) Hydrogen induced plasticity in stress corrosion cracking of engineering systems. Eng Fract Mech 68:693–729
Dietzel W, Schwalbe KH, Wu D (1989) Application of fracture mechanics techniques to the environmentally assisted cracking of aluminium 2024. Fatigue Fract Eng Mater Struc 12:495–510
Domain C, Besson R, Legris A (2004) Atomic-scale ab initio study of the Zr-H system: II Interaction of H with plane defects and mechanical properties. Acta Mater 52:1495–1502
Fager DN, Spurr WF (1970) Solid cadmium embrittlement: titanium alloys. Corrosion 26:409–419
Fager DN, Spurr WF (1971) Solid cadmium embrittlement: steel alloys. Corrosion 27:72–76
Falkenberg R, Brocks W, Dietzel W, Scheider E (2010) Modelling the effect of hydrogen on ductile tearing resistance of steels. Int J Mater Res 101:989–996
Ferreira PJ, Robertson IM, Birnbaum HK (1998) Hydrogen effects on the interaction between dislocations. Acta Mater 46:1744–1757
Flanagan WF, Bastias P, Lichter BD (1991) A theory of stress corrosion cracking. Acta Metall Mater 39:695–705
Ford FP (1984) Environmentally assisted crack growth in austenitic stainless steels. In: Gangloff RP (ed) Embrittlement by the localised crack environment. TMS-AIME, Warrendale, pp 117–147
Ford FP (1992) Slip dissolution model. In: Desjardin D, Oltra R (eds) Corrosion sous contrainte: phénoménologie et mécanismes. Editions de physique, Les Ulis, pp 833–864
Galvele JR (1993) Surface mobility mechanism of stress corrosion cracking. In: Magnin T, Gras JM (eds) Corrosion-deformation interaction CDI’92. Editions de Physique, Les Ulis, pp 83–91
Gangloff RP (1985) Crack size effect of the chemical driving force for aqueous corrosion fatigue. Metall Trans A 16:953–969
Gangloff RP (2003) Hydrogen assisted cracking of high strength alloys. In: Milne I et al (eds) Comprehensive structural integrity, vol 6. Elsevier, New York, pp 31–101
Gangloff RP, Wei RP (1977) Gaseous hydrogen embrittlement of high strength steels. Metall Trans A 8A:1043–1053
Gao X (2005) Displacement burst and hydrogen effect during loading and holding in nanoindentation of iron single crystal. Scrip Mater 53:1315–1320
Grabke HJ, Riecke E (2000) Absorption and diffusion of hydrogen in steels. Mater Technol 34:331–342
Guillot Y, Béranger G (2009) Fissuration favorisée par l’environnement. In: Clavel M, Bompard Ph (eds) Endommagement et rupture des matériaux. Lavoisier, Paris, pp 207–266
Hirth JP (1980) Effects of hydrogen on the properties of iron and steel. Metall Trans A 11A:861–890
Hirth JP, Rice JR (1980) On the thermodynamics of adsorption at interfaces as it influences decohesion. Metall Trans 11A:1501–1511
Interrante CG, Raymond L (2005) In: Baboian R (ed) Corrosion tests and standards: application and interpretation, 27. ASTM Publication, West Conshohocken, p 272
Jing-Zhi Yu, Sun Q, Wang Q, Kawazoe Y (1999) Theoretical study of hydrogen solubility in Fe, Co and Ni. Mater Trans JIM 40:855–858
Kerns JE, Wang MT, Staehle RW (1977) In: Staehle RW (eds) Stress corrosion cracking and hydrogen embrittlement of iron-based alloys. NACE, Houston, pp 700–735
Kirchheim R (2010) Revisiting hydrogen embrittlement models and hydrogen-induced homogeneous nucleation of dislocations. Scrip Mater 62:67–70
Kondo Y (1989) Prediction of fatigue crack initiation life based on pit growth. Corrosion 45:7–11
Krom AHM, Bakker A, Koers RWJ (1997) Modelling hydrogen-induced cracking in steel using a coupled diffusion stress finite element analysis. Int J Press Vessel Pip 72:139–147
Krom AHM, Maier HJ, Koers RWJ, Bakker A (1999) The effect of strain rate on hydrogen distribution in round tensile specimens. Mater Sci Eng A271:22–30
Lépinoux J, Magnin T (1993) Stress corrosion microcleavage in a ductile fcc alloy. Mater Sci Eng A164:266–269
Leblond J-B, Dubois D (1983) A general mathematical description of hydrogen diffusion in steels. I. Derivation of diffusion equations from Boltzmann-type transport equations. Acta Metall 31:1459–1469
Li QK, Zhang Y, Shi SQ, Wu YC (2002) Molecular dynamics simulation of dealloyed layer-enhanced dislocation emission and crack propagation. Mater Lett 56:927–932
Lu H, Gao KW, Chu WY (1998) Determination of tensile stress induced by dezincification layer during corrosion in brass. Corros Sci 40:1663–1670
Lu H, Gao KW, Wang YB, Chu WY (2000) Stress corrosion cracking caused by passive film induced tensile stress. Corrosion 56:1112–1118
Lynch SP (1989) Solid-metal-induced embrittlement of aluminium alloys and other materials. Mater Sci Eng A108:203–212
Lynch SP (2003) Mechanisms of hydrogen assisted cracking: a review. In: Moody NR et al (eds) Hydrogen effects on materials behavior and corrosion deformation interactions. TMS, Warrendale, pp 449–466
Lynn JC, Warke WR, Gordon P (1975) Solid metal-induced embrittlement of steel. Mater Sci Eng 18:51–62
Magnin T, Rieux P (1987) The relation between corrosion fatigue and stress corrosion cracking in Al-ZN-Mg alloys. Scrip Metall 21:907–911
Magnin T, Chieragatti R, Oltra R (1990) Mechanism of brittle fracture in a ductile 316 alloy during stress corrosion. Acta Metall Mater 38:1313–1319
Magnin T, Chambreuil A, Bayle B (1994) The corrosion enhanced plasticity model for stress corrosion cracking in ductile fcc alloys. Acta Mater 44:1457–1470
Marié N, Wolski K, Biscondi M (2000) Grain boundary penetration of nickel by liquid bismuth as a film of nanometric thickness. Scrip Mater 43:943–949
McIlree AR, Michels HT (1977) Stress corrosion behavior of Fe-Cr-Ni and other alloys in high temperature caustic solutions. Corrosion 33:60–67
McNabb A, Foster PK (1963) A new analysis of diffusion in iron and ferritic steels. J Trans Metall Soc AIME 227:618–627
Mendez J, Violan P (1988) Modification in fatigue damage processes induced by atmospheric environment in polycrystalline copper. In: Basic questions in fatigue. ASTM STP 924, pp 196–210
Mutombo K, du Toit M (2011) Corrosion fatigue behaviour of aluminium 5083-H111 welded gas metal arc welding method. In Tech Open Rijeka Croatia:177–208
Nam HS, Srolovitz DJ (2009) Effect of material properties on liquid metal embrittlement in the Al-Ga system. Acta Mater 57:1546–1553
Old CF, Travena P (1979) Liquid metal embrittlement of aluminium single crystal by gallium. Metal Sci 13:591–596
Oriani RA (1972) Hydrogen embrittlement of steels. Annu Rev Mater Sci 8:327–357
Parkins RN (1979) Environment sensitive fracture and its prevention. Br Corros J 14:5–14
Parkins RN (1992) Environment sensitive fracture of metals. Can Metall Quat 2:79–94
Pelloux R, Genkin JM (2010) Corrosion fatigue. In: Bathias C, Pineau A (eds) Fatigue of materials and structures. Wiley, Hoboken, pp 377–399
Pereiro-Lopez E, Ludwig W, Bellet D, Baruchel J (2003) Grain boundary liquid metal wetting: a synchrotron micro-radiographic investigation. Nucl Instrum Method Phys Res B200:333–338
Pereiro-Lopez E, Ludwig W, Bellet D (2005) In-situ investigation of liquid Ga penetration in Al bicrystal grain boundaries: grain boundary wetting or liquid metal embrittlement. Acta Mater 53:151–162
Pereiro-Lopez E, Ludwig W, Bellet D, Lemaignan C (2006) In-situ investigation of Al bicrystal embrittlement by liquid Ga using synchrotron imaging. Acta Mater 54:4307–4316
Petit J (1999) Influence of environment on small fatigue crack growth. In: Ravichandran KS, Ritchie RO, Murakami Y (eds) Small fatigue cracks. Elsevier, Oxford, pp 167–178
Petit J, Sarrazin-Baudoux C (2010) Effect of environment. In: Bathias C, Pineau A (eds) Fatigue of materials and structures. Wiley, Hoboken, pp 400–455
Piasick RS (1994) The growth of small corrosion fatigue cracks in alloy 2024. Fatigue Frac Eng Mater Struc 17:1247–1260
Pressouyre GM (1983) Hydrogen traps, repellers and obstacles in steel: consequences on hydrogen diffusion, solubility and embrittlement. Metall Trans A 14A:2189–2193
Pressouyre GM, Bernstein IM (1978) A quantitative analysis of hydrogen trapping. Metall Trans 9A:1571–1580
Psiachos D, Hammerschmidt T, Drautz R (2011) Ab initio study of the modification of elastic properties of α-iron by hydrostatic strain and by hydrogen interstitials. Acta Mater 59:4255–4663
Rebière M, Magnin T (1990) Corrosion fatigue mechanisms of an 8090 AL-Li-Cu alloy. Mater Sci Eng A 128:99–106
Rice JR (1976) Hydrogen and interfacial decohesion. In: Thompson AW, Bernstein IM (eds) Effect of hydrogen on behavior of materials. Metallurgical Society of AIME, New York, pp 455–466
Rice JR, Wang JS (1989) Embrittlement of interfaces by solute segregation. Mater Sci Eng A 107:23–40
Rie KT, Klingelh H (1993) High temperature low cycle fatigue in flue gas atmosphere. In: Magnin T, Gras JM (eds) Corrosion-deformation interactions CDI 92. Editions de Physique, Les Ulis, pp 493–501
Rostoker W, McCaughey JM, Markus H (1960) Embrittlement by liquid metals. Reinhold, New York
Roth MC, Weatherly GC, Miller WA (1980) The temperature dependence of the mechanical properties of aluminium alloys containing low-melting point inclusions. Acta Metall 28:841–853
Schuster I, Lemaignan C (1989) Characterisation of zircaloy corrosion fatigue phenomena in an iodine environment Part I: Crack growth. J Nucl Mater 166:348–356
Sieradzki K, Newman RC (1985) Brittle behaviour of ductile metals during stress corrosion cracking. Philos Mag A51:95–132
Sirois E, Birnbaum HK (1992) Effects of hydrogen and carbon on thermally activated deformation in nickel. Acta Metall Mater 40:1377–1385
Sofronis P, Robertson IM (2002) Transmission electron microscopy observations and micromechanical-continuum models for the effect of hydrogen on the mechanical behaviour of metals. Philos Mag 82:3405–3413
Somerday BP (1998) Metallurgical and crack tip mechanics effects on environment assisted cracking of beta titanium alloys in aqueous chloride. PhD dissertation U of Virginia Charlottesville VA
Speidel MO (1975) Stress corrosion cracking of aluminium alloys. Metall Trans A 6A:631–651
Speidel MO (1977) Stress corrosion crack growth in austenitic stainless steels. Corrosion 33:199–203
Speidel MO (1981) Stress corrosion cracking of stainless steel in NaCl solutions. Metall Trans 12A:779–789
Tetelman AS, Robertson WD (1963) Direct observation and analysis of crack propagation in iron-3.5% silicon single crystal. Acta Metall 11:415–426
Troiano AR (1960) The role of hydrogen and other interstitials in the mechanical behavior of metals. Trans ASM 52:54–80
Udagawa Y, Yamagachi M, Abe H, Sekimura N, Fuketa T (2010) Ab initio study of plane defects in zirconium-hydrogen solid solution and zirconium hydride. Acta Mater 58:3927–3938
von Pezold J, Lymperakis L, Neugebeauer J (2011) Hydrogen-enhanced local plasticity at dilute H concentrations: the role of H–H interactions and the formation of local hydrides. Acta Mater 59:2969–2980
Wei RP (1981) Rate controlling processes and crack growth response. In: Bernstein IM, Thompson AW (eds) Hydrogen effects in metals. TMS, Warrendale, pp 677–689
Xie JH, Alpas AT, Northwood DO (2002) A mechanism for the crack initiation of corrosion fatigue of Type 316L stainless steel in Hank’s solution. Mater Charact 48:271–277
Zapffe CA, Sims CE (1941) Hydrogen embrittlement, internal stress and defects in steel. Trans AIME 145:225–261
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2013 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
François, D., Pineau, A., Zaoui, A. (2013). Environment Assisted Cracking. In: Mechanical Behaviour of Materials. Solid Mechanics and Its Applications, vol 191. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-4930-6_7
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-4930-6_7
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-94-007-4929-0
Online ISBN: 978-94-007-4930-6
eBook Packages: EngineeringEngineering (R0)