Effects of Low Temperature on Hydrogen-Assisted Crack Growth in Forged 304L Austenitic Stainless Steel

The objective of this study was to evaluate effects of low temperature on hydrogen-assisted crack propagation in forged 304L austenitic stainless steel. Fracture initiation toughness and crack-growth resistance curves were measured using fracture mechanics specimens that were thermally precharged with 140 wppm hydrogen and tested at 293 K or 223 K (20 °C or −50 °C). Fracture initiation toughness for hydrogen-precharged forgings decreased by at least 50 to 80 pct relative to non-charged forgings. With hydrogen, low-temperature fracture initiation toughness decreased by 35 to 50 pct relative to room-temperature toughness. Crack growth without hydrogen at both temperatures was microstructure-independent and indistinguishable from blunting, while with hydrogen microcracks formed by growth and coalescence of microvoids. Initiation of microvoids in the presence of hydrogen occurred where localized deformation bands intersected grain boundaries and other deformation bands. Low temperature additionally promoted fracture initiation at annealing twin boundaries in the presence of hydrogen, which competed with deformation band intersections and grain boundaries as sites of microvoid formation and fracture initiation. A common ingredient for fracture initiation was stress concentration that arose from the intersection of deformation bands with these microstructural obstacles. The localized deformation responsible for producing stress concentrations at obstacles was intensified by low temperature and hydrogen. Crack orientation and forging strength were found to have a minor effect on fracture initiation toughness of hydrogen-supersaturated 304L forgings.