Studies of hydrogen embrittlement and stress-corrosion cracking in an aluminum-zinc-magnesium alloy. [5. 6 Zn - 2. 6 Mg]

Technical Report · Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1980

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6768362· OSTI ID:6768362

Ciaraldi, S W; Nelson, J L; Yeske, R A; Pugh, E N

Tensile tests have been carried out on a high-purity A1-5.6 Zn-2.6 Mg alloy hydrogenated by exposure to moist air. Results indicate that internal hydrogen embrittlement occurs by the formation and rupture of a stress-induced hydride at the grain boundaries. The hydride, identified by electron diffraction as A1H/sub 3/, is shown to be unstable in laboratory air, reverting to aluminum. The hydride phase was not detected in specimens failed by SCC, despite evidence that hydrogen is transported ahead of advancing stress-corrosion cracks, and this leads to the possibility that a basically different mechanism may be responsible for SCC in this alloy.

• Research Organization: Illinois Univ., Urbana (USA). Dept. of Metallurgy and Mining Engineering
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-76ER01198
• OSTI ID: 6768362
• Report Number(s): DOE/ER/01198-1325
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
ALUMINIUM BASE ALLOYS
EMBRITTLEMENT
STRESS CORROSION
MAGNESIUM ALLOYS
ZINC ALLOYS
ALUMINIUM HYDRIDES
CRACKS
HYDRIDES
HYDROGEN
ALLOYS
ALUMINIUM ALLOYS
ALUMINIUM COMPOUNDS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CORROSION
ELEMENTS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
NONMETALS
360105* - Metals & Alloys- Corrosion & Erosion