Hydrogen Embrittlement and Diffusion in High Strength Low Alloyed Steels with Different Microstructures

Abstract

The paper deals with the effect of microstructure on the hydrogen diffusion in traditional ferritic-pearlitic HSLA steels and new high strength steels, with tempered martensite microstructures or banded ferritic-bainitic-martensitic microstructures. Diffusivity was correlated to the hydrogen embrittlement resistance of steels, evaluated by means of slow strain rate tests.