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The structure of tempered martensite and its susceptibility to hydrogen stress cracking

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Abstract

A series of 4130 steels modified with 0.50 pct Mo and 0.75 pct Mo were tempered at temperatures between 300 and 700 °C for one hour. The changes in the carbide dispersion and matrix substructure produced by tempering were measured by transmission electron microscopy. These measurements were correlated with resistance to hydrogen stress cracking produced by cathodic charging of specimens in three-point bending. Scanning electron microscopy showed that specimens tempered between 300 and 500 °C failed by intergranular cracking while those tempered at higher temperatures failed by a transgranular fracture mode. Auger electron spectroscopy showed that the intergranular fracture was associated with hydrogen interaction with P segregation and carbide formation at prior austenite grain boundaries. Transgranular cracking was initiated at inclusion particles from which cracks propagated to produce flat fracture zones extending over several prior austenite grains. The 4130 steels modified with higher Mo content resisted tempering and showed better hydrogen stress cracking resistance than did the unmodified 4130 steel. The transition in fracture mode is attributed to a decohesion mechanism in the low temperature tempered samples and a pressure mechanism in the highly tempered samples.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Marathon Oil Company, Denver Research Center, 80160, Littleton, CO

    Bruce D. Craig (Research Engineer)

  2. Department of Metallurgical Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, 80401, Golden, CO

    George Krauss (Amax Foundation Professor)

Authors
  1. Bruce D. Craig
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  2. George Krauss
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Craig, B.D., Krauss, G. The structure of tempered martensite and its susceptibility to hydrogen stress cracking. Metall Trans A 11, 1799–1808 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02655095

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