Hydrogen effect on plastic deformation and fracture in austenitic stainless steel

The effect of hydrogen on the fracture behaviour of austenitic stainless steel has been investigated in the past [1][2]. It has been reported that fracture initiates by void formation at inclusions and regions of enhanced strain localisation [3]. There is experimental evidence that supports the fact that hydrogen influences void nucleation, growth and coalescence during material fracture [4]. This work investigates the effect of hydrogen on void growth and coalescence in austenitic stainless steel. The effect of hydrogen on void growth and coalescence for different stress triaxialities has been examined by analysing the stress strain response of a single crystal representative volume element (RVE). The results show that the higher the stress triaxiality, the lower the equivalent stress required to yield. This response is found to be similar irrespective of whether the material is being exposed to hydrogen or not. Lower equivalent strain values to yield were experienced for higher stress triaxialities for both hydrogen free and hydrogenated samples. Hydrogen slowed down void growth at high stress triaxialities but promoted void growth as lower triaxialities. For lower triaxialities, the presence of hydrogen was found to initially inhibit void growth at low equivalent strain values. However, this effect reversed at higher equivalent strain values and hydrogen was found to promote void growth. The effect of hydrogen promoting or inhibiting void growth have been shown to increase in magnitude with increasing hydrogen concentration.