Solute hydrogen and deuterium observed at the near atomic scale in high-strength steel
File(s)
Accepted version
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Observing solute hydrogen (H) in matter is a formidable challenge, yet, enabling quantitative imaging of H at
the atomic-scale is critical to understand its deleterious influence on the mechanical strength of many metallic alloys that has resulted in many catastrophic failures of engineering parts and structures. Here, we report
on the APT analysis of hydrogen (H) and deuterium (D) within the nanostructure of an ultra-high strength
steel with high resistance to hydrogen embrittlement. Cold drawn, severely deformed pearlitic steel wires
(Fe 0.98C 0.31Mn 0.20Si 0.20Cr 0.01Cu 0.006P 0.007S wt%, e ¼ 3:1) contains cementite decomposed
during the pre-deformation of the alloy and ferrite. We find H and D within the decomposed cementite, and
at some interfaces with the surrounding ferrite. To ascertain the origin of the H/D signal obtained in APT, we
explored a series of experimental workflows including cryogenic specimen preparation and cryogenicvacuum transfer from the preparation into a state-of-the-art atom probe. Our study points to the critical role
of the preparation, i.e. the possible saturation of H-trapping sites during electrochemical polishing, how these
can be alleviated by the use of an outgassing treatment, cryogenic preparation and transfer prior to charging.
Accommodation of large amounts of H in the under-stoichiometric carbide likely explains the resistance of
pearlite against hydrogen embrittlement
the atomic-scale is critical to understand its deleterious influence on the mechanical strength of many metallic alloys that has resulted in many catastrophic failures of engineering parts and structures. Here, we report
on the APT analysis of hydrogen (H) and deuterium (D) within the nanostructure of an ultra-high strength
steel with high resistance to hydrogen embrittlement. Cold drawn, severely deformed pearlitic steel wires
(Fe 0.98C 0.31Mn 0.20Si 0.20Cr 0.01Cu 0.006P 0.007S wt%, e ¼ 3:1) contains cementite decomposed
during the pre-deformation of the alloy and ferrite. We find H and D within the decomposed cementite, and
at some interfaces with the surrounding ferrite. To ascertain the origin of the H/D signal obtained in APT, we
explored a series of experimental workflows including cryogenic specimen preparation and cryogenicvacuum transfer from the preparation into a state-of-the-art atom probe. Our study points to the critical role
of the preparation, i.e. the possible saturation of H-trapping sites during electrochemical polishing, how these
can be alleviated by the use of an outgassing treatment, cryogenic preparation and transfer prior to charging.
Accommodation of large amounts of H in the under-stoichiometric carbide likely explains the resistance of
pearlite against hydrogen embrittlement
Date Issued
2020-04-15
Date Acceptance
2020-02-02
Citation
Acta Materialia, 2020, 188, pp.108-120
ISSN
1359-6454
Publisher
Elsevier
Start Page
108
End Page
120
Journal / Book Title
Acta Materialia
Volume
188
Copyright Statement
Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. This manuscript version is made available under the CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 license https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
Identifier
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Subjects
Atom probe tomography
DELAYED FRACTURE
Deuterium
EMBRITTLEMENT
Hydrogen embrittlement
Materials Science
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Metallurgy & Metallurgical Engineering
Pearlitic steel
PROBE ANALYSIS
PURE
Science & Technology
Technology
TITANIUM
TOMOGRAPHY
TRAPPING SITES
Publication Status
Published
Date Publish Online
2020-02-05