The Study of the Effect of Hydrogen on Physical-Mechanical Properties of Steel by Acoustic Microscopy Methods

Abstract

The paper deals with the perspectives of the application of acoustic microscopy methods for studying the effects of hydrogen on physical-mechanical properties of steel. The basic principles of the methods as well as the results of the experiments of studying the structure of steel and its transformation upon changing the composition and types of thermomechanical treatment are given in the article. The high sensitivity to non-heterogeneity and defects upon acoustic visualization and in the regime of determining physic-mechanical properties are demonstrated. Calculation of the dependencies of energy distribution of acoustic waves on the surface of an object gives us the possibility to determine the depths of the location of defects and evaluate the possibilities of their visualization. It is shown that acoustic microscopy methods are perspective for revealing the presence of dissolved hydrogen, local changes of values of physic-mechanical properties of materials. They enable us to reveal microcracks of flocks type with dimensions up to 0.2–0.6 μm, micropores, to calculate local values of elasticity module and module of shift, to determine the incubation period of originating of investigating defects.