HYDROGEN INDUCED CRACKING IN FERRITICAUSTENITIC DUPLEX STAINLESS STEEL

Hydrogen induced cracking in a ferritic-austenitic duplex stainless steel has been investigatedusing compact tension tests.The stress intensity threshold K_H of the steel rises with increasingaustenite content and decreases with increasing current density during hydrogen charging.Thehydrogen induced cracking initiates and propagates on {100} planes of the ferrite grains.Theaustenite grains play a “fibre-toughened” role during obstructing crack propagation.