Hydrogen-modified interaction between lattice dislocations and grain boundaries by atomistic modelling

Abstract

Dislocation plasticity in the vicinity of grain boundaries (GBs) plays a critical role in H-induced intergranular failure. Their interaction mechanisms under H environment, however, remain largely unexplored. Here, the underlying interaction of a screw dislocation with [11¯0] symmetric tilt GBs was studied by using molecular dynamics simulation, with special concerns on the role of solute H in it. Our results show several interaction mechanisms including dislocation dissociation, transmission, nucleation and reflection, depending on different glide planes and GB structures. The presence of H tends to transform these reactions into ones involving dislocation absorption due to H-hindered GB migration and H-enhanced localised plasticity. Furthermore, it is quantified that solute H leads to an increase in energy barrier for dislocation-grain-boundary interaction. After dislocation absorption, the GB segregated with H atoms is activated to a more disordered atomic structure, which can be correlated to the crack nucleation and hence the ultimate fracture. These findings advance a mechanistic understanding on H-induced plasticity-mediated intergranular failure.