Influence of electrochemical hydrogen charging on the mechanical, diffusional, and interfacial properties of an amorphous alumina coating on Fe-8 wt% Cr alloy

Amorphous alumina coatings, intended as hydrogen barriers, were successfully deposited on Fe-8 wt% Cr substrates by plasma ion-assisted deposition technique. The amorphous structure of the coatings was confirmed by transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. The interfacial and mechanical properties of the coating-substrate system were evaluated using an in-house custom-designed backside electrochemical hydrogen charging method. In this approach, the substrate side faces the electrolyte (hydrogen entry side) and the mechanical behavior was tested on the coating side (hydrogen exit side). A Kelvin-probe-based measurement was performed to determine the hydrogen diffusivity in these amorphous alumina coatings at room temperature using a similar backside charging approach. Chemical and microstructural characterizations, in combination with scratch and hardness testing, show that interfacial hydrogen accumulation is strongly responsible for drastic changes in the scratch morphology of the coating and its adhesion to the substrate. Scratch testing promises to be a quick and easy technique to fingerprint changes at the coating/substrate interface upon hydrogen exposure.

Graphical abstract