Hydrogen embrittlement susceptibility of Cu bearing cost-effective austenitic stainless steels

• Published in: International journal of hydrogen energy Vol. 60; pp. 1 - 10
• Main Authors: Cho, Hyung-Jun, Cho, Yeonggeun, Kim, Sung-Joon
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 22-03-2024
• Subjects: Austenitic stainless steels; Copper; Deformation mechanism; Hydrogen embrittlement; Stacking fault energy; Stacking fault energy; Copper; Austenitic stainless steels; Hydrogen embrittlement; Deformation mechanism
• ISSN: 0360-3199
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijhydene.2024.02.105

This study aims to investigate the hydrogen embrittlement susceptibility of Cu-containing Fe–Cr–Ni austenitic stainless steels to examine the feasibility of Ni substitution in the steel used under a hydrogen atmosphere. The susceptibility to hydrogen embrittlement increased with replacement of Ni with Cu in N-free steels, while a complicated tendency appeared in N-added steels. Cu improved the austenite stability more effectively than Ni, but it promoted H diffusion and increased the adsorbed H content. Additionally, increase of Cu accelerated planar slip during tensile deformation, causing stress concentration and the accelerating H-induced cracks near the grain boundaries. In the metastable state, partial replacement of Ni with Cu improved hydrogen embrittlement resistance by suppressing the martensitic transformation. However, excessive replacement in stable steels resulted in the deterioration of hydrogen embrittlement resistance.
•Increase of Cu/Ni ratio promoted the hydrogen diffusion.•Cu improved the austenite stability effectively than Ni.•Solute Cu promoted planar slip to induce stress localization.