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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Grain boundary segregation and environmentally-induced fracture of materials

Conference ·
OSTI ID:6042217

Segregation of metalloid impurities such as S, P, and Sb to grain boundaries can induce hydrogen embrittlement (HE) and intergranular stress corrosion cracking (IGSCC) of materials. Hydrogen-induced intergranular subcritical crack growth is affected by metalloid segregation with a combined impurity-hydrogen effect which follows the embrittling trend for impurity segregation in the absence of hydrogen. In Fe, S is more effective than Sb which is more effective than P. A similar relationship has been demonstrated for Ni. The role of metalloid impurity segregation in IGSCC may differ significantly from HE such that an impurity which has a small effect in HE can have a large effect in IGSCC. Sulfur and P in Ni are examples where this role reversal is observed. 29 refs., 13 figs.

Research Organization:
Pacific Northwest Lab., Richland, WA (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
AC06-76RL01830
OSTI ID:
6042217
Report Number(s):
PNL-SA-13067; CONF-860340-4; ON: DE86010219
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English