Investigating the Impact of Friction Stir Processing on the Hydrogen Embrittlement in AA6082-T6 Heat-Treatable Aluminum Alloy

• Published in: Metals and materials international Vol. 30; no. 10; pp. 2668 - 2684
• Main Authors: Papantoniou, Ioannis G., Karmiris-Obratański, Panagiotis, Leszczyńska-Madej, Beata, Manolakos, Dimitrios E.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Seoul The Korean Institute of Metals and Materials 01-10-2024; Springer Nature B.V; 대한금속·재료학회
• Subjects: Alloys; Aluminum alloys; Aluminum base alloys; Blistering; Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Chemistry and Materials Science; Energy absorption; Engineering Thermodynamics; Friction stir processing; Heat and Mass Transfer; Heat treating; Heat treatment; Hydrogen; Hydrogen embrittlement; Machines; Magnetic Materials; Magnetism; Manufacturing; Materials Science; Mechanical properties; Mechanical tests; Metallic Materials; Microhardness; Microstructural analysis; Microstructure; Processes; Solid Mechanics; Ultimate tensile strength; 재료공학; Friction Stir Processing; Hydrogen Cathodic Charging; AA6082; Fracture Analysis, Microstructure; Hydrogen Embrittlement
• ISSN: 1598-9623; 2005-4149
• DOI: 10.1007/s12540-024-01668-y

This study investigates the impact of friction stir processing (FSP) on the hydrogen embrittlement (HE) in AA6082-T6 heat-treatable aluminum alloy. The effects of different number of FSP passes and different hydrogen cathodic charging (HCC) conditions on the material’s response to HE are examined through comprehensive mechanical testing, microhardness analysis, and microstructural characterization. The results revealed that FSP leads to a decrease in yield strength, ultimate tensile strength, and microhardness, accompanied by an increase in energy absorption. The introduction of hydrogen through HCC significantly reduces mechanical properties, particularly in non-FSPed specimens. Notably, specimens with 8 FSP passes exhibit an interesting behavior with a slight increase in energy absorption and microhardness values after HCC. Microstructural analysis shows that FSP refines the microstructure, resulting in enhanced resistance to hydrogen-induced blistering effects. These findings contribute to the understanding of hydrogen embrittlement in FSPed aluminum alloys, providing insights for developing surface-modified materials suited for hydrogen-rich applications.
Graphical Abstract