Effect of hydrogen on tensile properties of martensitic steels for fusion application

• Published in: Journal of nuclear materials 1998-10, Vol.258-263, p.1295-1299
• Main Authors: Bertini, L, Benamati, G, Beghini, M, Valentini, R
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0022-3115
• DOI: 10.1016/S0022-3115(98)00162-7

The present work is aimed at giving a contribution to the characterization of hydrogen embrittlement (HE) resistance of two martensitic steels, i.e. the modified F82H and the MANET. The study is based on tensile low strain rate tests, conducted on notched cylindrical specimens which were previously charged with hydrogen. In the case of modified F 82 H steel, two different heat treatments were considered, i.e. the as-received (AR) and the aged condition. The results of the tests indicated that the analyzed steels show a noticeable reduction of the area reduction coefficient (Z%), even for rather low global hydrogen content. As an example, 1-2 wppm are sufficient to lower the Z% of mod. F 82 H to 14-18, from the 35-40% value typical of the virgin material. In the paper, these results are discussed with the aid of microstructural investigations and SEM analysis which allowed to characterize the microstructural properties of the materials.