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Title: Rapid Diffusion and Nanosegregation of Hydrogen in Magnesium Alloys from Exposure to Water

Journal Article · · ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces
ORCiD logo [1]; ORCiD logo [1];  [2]; ORCiD logo [1]; ORCiD logo [1]; ORCiD logo [1]; ORCiD logo [1];  [1]; ORCiD logo [1]; ORCiD logo [1]; ORCiD logo [1]; ORCiD logo [1];  [1]; ORCiD logo [1]; ORCiD logo [1]; ORCiD logo [1];  [1];  [3]
  1. Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
  2. University of Manitoba (UM), Winnipeg (Canada). Department of Geological Sciences
  3. Magnesium Elektron North America (MENA), Madison, IL (United States)

Hydrogen gas is formed when Mg corrodes in water; however, the manner and extent to which the hydrogen may also enter the Mg metal is poorly understood. Such knowledge is critical as stress corrosion cracking (SCC)/embrittlement phenomena limit many otherwise promising structural and functional uses of Mg. Here, we report via D2O/D isotopic tracer and H2O exposures with characterization by secondary ion mass spectrometry, inelastic neutron scattering vibrational spectrometry, electron microscopy, and atom probe tomography techniques direct evidence that hydrogen rapidly penetrated tens of micrometers into Mg metal after only 4 h of exposure to water at room temperature. Further, technologically important microalloying additions of <1 wt % Zr and Nd used to improve the manufacturability and mechanical properties of Mg significantly increased the extent of hydrogen ingress, whereas Al additions in the 2–3 wt % range did not. Segregation of hydrogen species was observed at regions of high Mg/Zr/Nd nanoprecipitate density and at Mg(Zr) metastable solid solution microstructural features. We also report evidence that this ingressed hydrogen was unexpectedly present in the alloy as nanoconfined, molecular H2. These new insights provide a basis for strategies to design Mg alloys to resist SCC in aqueous environments as well as potentially impact functional uses such as hydrogen storage where increased hydrogen uptake is desired.

Research Organization:
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Vehicle Technologies Office (EE-3V); USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Office of Sustainable Transportation. Vehicle Technologies Office (VTO)
Grant/Contract Number:
AC05-00OR22725
OSTI ID:
1400005
Alternate ID(s):
OSTI ID: 1408592
Journal Information:
ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces, Vol. 9, Issue 43; ISSN 1944-8244
Publisher:
American Chemical Society (ACS)Copyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 13 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

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Cited By (1)

On the stability of the oxides film formed on a magnesium alloy containing rare-earth elements journal November 2018