Linking ab initio data on hydrogen and carbon in steel to statistical and continuum descriptions

Abstract

We present a selection of scale transfer approaches from the electronic to the continuum regime for topics relevant to hydrogen embrittlement. With a focus on grain boundary related hydrogen embrittlement, we discuss the scale transfer for the dependence of the carbon solution behavior in steel on elastic effects and the hydrogen solution in austenitic bulk regions depending on Al content. We introduce an approximative scheme to estimate grain boundary energies for varying carbon and hydrogen population. We employ this approach for a discussion of the suppressing influence of Al on the substitution of carbon with hydrogen at grain boundaries, which is an assumed mechanism for grain boundary hydrogen embrittlement. Finally, we discuss the dependence of hydride formation on the grain boundary stiffness.