Hydrogen-assisted cracking in 2205 duplex stainless steel: Initiation, propagation and interaction with deformation-induced martensite

The present work evaluates hydrogen-assisted cracking in 2205 duplex stainless steel by performing electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) on in-situ hydrogen charged tensile tested specimens. The hydrogen embrittlement sensitivity increases with the electrochemical hydrogen charging time. The hydrogen presence results in deformation-induced martensite formation in the austenite during in-situ tensile straining, which starts immediately after yielding. Hydrogen-assisted cracking starts at a later stage in the tensile test and the cracks mainly initiate in austenite. The deformation-induced martensite is not vulnerable for crack initiation, neither is its interface with the austenite matrix. The presence of hydrogen-assisted cracks depends on the strain level reached in the specimen and is therefore most pronounced in the necked region. Crack propagation occurs through austenite, ferrite and their interface and is mainly governed by strain fields. Finally, propagation also occurs by coalescence of several smaller cracks.