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Special Fatigue Fracture Behavior of Nanocrystalline Metals under Hydrogen Conditions

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Abstract

In view of the effect of hydrogen on the mechanical behavior of nanocrystal materials, a hydrogen embrittlement model is proposed based on the method of continuous distribution dislocation from the perspective of fracture mechanics. The effects of hydrogen on mechanical parameters such as surface energy, lattice friction, shear modulus, and atomic bonding force are analyzed to investigate the effects of crack tip (CT) dislocation emission on crack propagation rate, CT plastic zone and dislocation free zone size, as well as the initiation of nanocracks at grain boundaries (GBs) and within grains under hydrogen conditions. The results show that under the presence of hydrogen, it can reduce the resistance of dislocation movement, promote the emission of crack-tip dislocations, enlarge the plastic zone at the CT, and reduce the dislocation-free zone. In addition, hydrogen atoms can accumulate at GBs and inside grains to form hydrides, reducing the surface energy of the material and making it easier for nanocracks to nucleate at GBs and inside grains. Moreover, hydrogen can exacerbate the stress concentration at the CT, resulting in an accelerated crack propagation rate. This work provides a reasonable explanation for the microscopic mechanism of hydrogen induced fracture failure of metal materials.

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Funding

This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (11472230).

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  1. Applied Mechanics and Structure Safety Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, School of Mechanics and Aerospace Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, 610031, Chengdu, PR China

    Keke Zhao, Jiding Zhang, Ke Sun, Wenhao Liu & Xiaoyu Jiang

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Zhao, K., Zhang, J., Sun, K. et al. Special Fatigue Fracture Behavior of Nanocrystalline Metals under Hydrogen Conditions. Mech. Solids 58, 2382–2398 (2023). https://doi.org/10.3103/S0025654423601465

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