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Hydrogen embrittlement of solution heat-treated and aged [beta]-titanium alloys Ti-15%V-3%Cr-3%Al-3%Sn and Ti-15%Mo-3%Nb-3%Al

Journal Article · · Corrosion (Houston); (United States)
DOI:https://doi.org/10.5006/1.3293483· OSTI ID:6672846
;  [1]
  1. Univ. of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA (United States)

Effects of electrochemically introduced hydrogen on the room-temperature mechanical properties of two [beta]-titanium alloys were compared. Solution heat-treated (SHT), single-step peak-aged (PA), and duplex-aged (DA) conditions were investigated using notched tensile bars and Bridgman's analysis of longitudinal stress and average effective diametral plastic strain. Ti-15%Mo-3%Nb-3%Al (referred to as 21S) was more susceptible to hydrogen embrittlement than Ti-15%V-3%Cr-3%Al-3%Sn referred to as 15-3 based on reductions in longitudinal stress, plastic strain, and fractography at H concentrations > 1,000 ppm by weight. Hydriding of the [alpha] or [beta] phase was not observed over the range of H concentrations investigated. Instead, changes in fracture behavior with H were correlated with deformation behavior and [alpha] precipitation. Susceptibility of 21S was attributed to a high-temperature, long solution treatment that affected deformation behavior in the SHT condition and promoted grain boundary [alpha] precipitation in the PA condition. The high-temperature reduced [alpha] nucleation sites in grain interiors and promoted planar slip. Subsequent [alpha] precipitation occurred preferentially on [beta] grain boundaries and, lastly, in grain interiors, resulting in fine intragranular precipitates. In contrast, a lower temperature of shorter duration for 15-3 resulted in wavy slip after SHT and more homogeneous, slightly coarser [alpha] precipitates upon aging, which may have been less prone to slip localization by dislocation shearing. Localized planar slip and grain boundary [alpha] colonies were believed to promote internal H embrittlement and aqueous environmentally assisted cracking. These factors were linked more closely to thermomechanical processing than to alloy composition in the present study.

OSTI ID:
6672846
Journal Information:
Corrosion (Houston); (United States), Journal Name: Corrosion (Houston); (United States) Vol. 50:12; ISSN 0010-9312; ISSN CORRAK
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English