Effect of grain size on crack propagation of high strength steel in gaseous hydrogen atmosphere

Abstract

The effect of prior austenite grain size on the crack propagation behaviour of tempered martensitic steels having tensile strength of about 2 GN m−2 was studied in hydrogen gas at pressures in the range from 98 to 784 kPa using modified compact tension specimens. The crack propagation rate da/dt in hydrogen decreased as the prior austenite grain size increased from 45 to 450 μm. The dependence of da/dt on hydrogen pressure at a given applied stress intensity was examined. The permeation of hydrogen from the crack tip surface was estimated to decrease with increasing grain size. However, the fractographic study suggested that the degree of embrittlement of grain boundaries increases with grain size. Consequently, the inverse effect of grain size on da/dt may be caused by a decrease of the average concentration of hydrogen along grain boundaries at the crack tip with increasing grain size.MST/1060