Hydrogen-Induced Phase Transformations in Type 304L Stainless Steels

Abstract

Abstract Electrolytic charging of hydrogen into Type 304L stainless steel at room temperature and 100 C (212 F) induced partial transformation) of the austenite to the some martensitic phases [α′ (bcc) and ε (hep)] as are formed by cold-working hydrogen-free austenite at low temperatures (−196 C) (−321 F). No evidence of a hexagonal hydride was found. The formation of the ε phase by cathodic charging suggests that hydrogen lowers the stacking fault energy of austenite. Hydrogen charging expands the austenite lattice, causes the dislocation and stacking fault density to increase with increasing hydrogen concentration, and causes dislocation movement.