Effects of Hydrogen on Tensile Properties of SA508 Cl.3 Reactor Pressure Vessel Steel at High Temperature

Abstract

Tensile properties of SA508 Cl.3 reactor pressure vessel (RPV) steel were investigated at room temperature and at 288 °C before and after hydrogen charging by electrolysis. At room temperature, the charged hydrogen induced distinct hardening and ductility loss, where quasi-cleavage features were observed around inclusions. These results may be due to interactions between the dissolved hydrogen and dislocations and an increase of hydrogen concentration near the inclusions. On the other hand, at 288 °C, the charged hydrogen induced some softening, which was explained in terms of the hydrogen shielding effect, and of strain localization by dynamic strain aging (DSA). Further, at 288 °C, the fracture surfaces of the hydrogen-charged specimens showed brittle regions, where the hydrogen might have been trapped in microvoids, leading to internal pressurization.