Effect of a Nickel-Iron Mixture of Weld Metal on Hydrogen Permeability at Various Temperatures in 316L Stainless Steel

Abstract

It is important to prevent from hydrogen embrittlement cracking in the heat-affected zone of welded steels. The hydrogen permeation rate for bulk nickel at high temperatures is higher than that of stainless steel, although the reverse is true at low temperatures. Low carbon stainless 316L steel, which contained 12-15% nickel, was selected as the parent material for welding. We have investigated the affect of nickel near the heat-affected zone by measuring the hydrogen permeation at various temperatures. We performed hydrogen permeation tests into the bead on plate specimens using nickel filler. A stationary hydrogen gas flux through the stainless steel specimen was measured by using an orifice and a quadrupole mass spectrometer (QMS). The partial pressure difference for hydrogen that was applied to the specimen was able to be kept constant by maintaining a constant gas flow rate through the orifice in a low- pressure room. An orifice with a 3 mm diameter maintained stationary steady-state hydrogen gas flux from the specimen at 620K, while a 1.2 mm diameter orifice maintained the steady pressure at 520 K. The hydrogen permeability, K was calculated based on the measured steady-state hydrogen gas fluxes at various temperatures. These results plotted as log K versus 1/T (reciprocal temperature) could not be interpolated linearly. The permeability values of the specimen at 570 K and 520 K were less than interpolated ones between the value at 620 K and the value at 520K of the 316 L stainless steel substrate as received.