Effect of mechanical deformation on permeation of hydrogen in iron

Abstract

Rate of hydrogen permeation was measured under static as well as dynamic mechanical deformation conditions. Cylindrical tensile test specimens were used for the study and hydrogen permeation was measured electrochemically. It was observed that the hydrogen diffusivity decreased as plastic deformation increased for the static deformation experiments while elastic deformation had no significant effect on diffusivity but increased the steady state permeation flux. For the dynamic loading experiment, an elastic deformation increased the hydrogen permeation rate almost linearly. Onset of plastic deformation led a sudden decrease of permeation rate and the reduced rate was rapidly recovered when the plastic deformation ceased. These rapid changes in the permeation rates were explained that the absorbed hydrogen was trapped by dislocations and creation rate and density of dislocations changed drastically when plastic deformation started and stopped.