Microstructural changes induced near crack tip during corrosion fatigue tests in austenitic-ferritic steel

Microstructural changes occurring during fatigue tests of austenitic-ferritic duplex stainless steel (DSS) in air and in hydrogen-generating environment have been investigated. Hydrogen charging of steel samples during fatigue crack growth (FCG) tests was performed by cathodic polarization of specimens in 0.1M H₂SO₄ aqueous solution. Microstructural investigations of specimens after FCG tests were carried out using transmission electron microscopy to reveal the density and arrangement of dislocations formed near crack tip. To determine the way of crack propagation in the microstructure, electron backscatter diffraction investigations were performed on fatigue-tested samples in both kinds of environment. To reveal hydrogen-induced phase transformations the atomic force microscopy was used. The above investigations allowed us to define the character of fatigue crack propagation and microstructural changes near the crack tip. It was found that crack propagation after fatigue tests in air is accompanied with plastic deformation; a high density of dislocations is observed at large distance from the crack. After fatigue tests performed during hydrogen charging the deformed zone containing high density of dislocations is narrow compared to that after fatigue tests in air. It means that hydrogenation leads to brittle character of fatigue crack propagation. In air, fatigue cracks propagate mostly transgranularly, whereas in hydrogen-generating environment the cracks have mixed transgranular/interfacial character.