High-concentration carbon assists plasticity-driven hydrogen embrittlement in a Fe-high Mn steel with a relatively high stacking fault energy

Abstract

We investigated the effects of electrochemical hydrogen charging on the mechanical properties of a Fe-33Mn-1.1C austenitic steel with high carbon concentration and relatively high stacking fault energy. Hydrogen pre charging increased the yield strength and degraded the elongation and work-hardening capability. The increase in yield strength is a result of the solution hardening of hydrogen. A reduction in the cross-sectional area by subcrack formation is the primary factor causing reduction in work-hardening ability. Fracture modes were detected to be both intergranular and transgranular regionally. Neither intergranular nor transgranular cracking modes are related to deformation twinning or simple decohesion in contrast to conventional Fe-Mn-C twinning induced plasticity steels. The hydrogen-assisted crack initiation and subsequent propagation are attributed to plasticity-dominated mechanisms associated with strain localization. The occurrence of dynamic strain aging by the high carbon content and ease of cross slip owing to the high stacking fault energy can cause strain/damage localization, which assists hydrogen embrittlement associated with the hydrogen-enhanced localized plasticity mechanism.