Hydrogen embrittlement of structural materials in solutions of chrome anhydride

Abstract

Passivating films on metals in solutions of chrome anhydride have highly specific properties~ They protect efficiently structural materials against general corrosion and corrosion cracking (CC) by the mechanism of local dissolution of the metal at the crack tip but do not prevent crack growth in CC by the hydrogen embrittlement (HE) mechanism. The hydrogen embrittlement of titanium and aluminum alloys in these solutions is greatly activated by chloride ions but the hydrogen embrittlement of high-strength steels also takes place at a higher rate in the absence of these ions [I]. The aim of this work was to determine the type of ion which acts as an activator of HE of hi,h-strength steels in pure solutions of chrome anhydride, and also clarify the possibilities of HE in CC of other structural materials in the solutions.