Crack initiation in hydrogenated steel

Abstract

THE interaction between hydrogen and steel results in various embrittlement phenomena. For example, it has long been known that flakes, or internal hairline cracks in alloy steel forgings, are related to the presence of hydrogen retained from the steel-making process. On the other hand, embrittlement of electroplated high-strength steel parts is caused by hydrogen introduced during pickling or electroplating processes. A particularly disturbing form of hydrogen embrittlement is static fatigue, or brittle delayed fracture at relatively low applied stresses1. © 1957 Nature Publishing Group.