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18 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1991

Evaluation of a hydrogen resistant titanium aluminide alloy

The Ti-24Al-11Nb (Ti-24-11) alloy heat treated to the fine basketweave microstructure was shown previously to be hydrogen tolerant. In order to assess its limit of hydrogen tolerance, the tensile, creep, fracture toughness, and sustained load crack growth behaviors of this alloy were studied as a function of hydrogen content. All test specimens were thermally charged with internal hydrogen and tested at 25 and 600 C. Coupon specimens were used for developing the hydrogen charging procedures and for studying compatibility of the alloy with high temperature, high pressure gaseous hydrogen. The mechanical test results indicated that the fine basketweave microstructure was tolerant to hydride embrittlement for hydrogen contents up to approximately 1500 wt. ppm, providing that the hydride formed was of the TiH2 type. On the other hand, hydrogen charging experiments indicated that the Ti-24-11 alloy was severely cracked and pulverized under zero load when the hydrogen content exceeded 3000 wt. ppm. X-ray diffraction results revealed that the dichotomous behaviors might be due to the formation of TiH(1.924) type hydrides at higher hydrogen contents. Thus, hydrogen embrittlement in the Ti-24-11 alloy with the fine basketweave microstructure depends on hydrogen content and the nature of the hydrides formed.

Chan, K. S.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Hydrogen tolerance of a Ti3Al-based alloy

The Ti-24Al-11Nb (Ti-24-11) alloy heat-treated to the fine basketweave microstructure was shown previously to be hydrogen-tolerant. In order to assess its limit of hydrogen tolerance, the tensile, creep, fracture toughness, and sustained-load crack growth behaviors of this alloy were studied as a function of hydrogen content. The mechanical test results indicated that the fine basketweave microstructure was tolerant to hydride embrittlement for hydrogen contents up to about 1500 wppm. On the other hand, hydrogen charging experiments indicated that the Ti-24-11 alloy was severely cracked and pulverized under zero load when the hydrogen content exceeded 3000 wppm. X-ray diffraction results revealed that the dichotomous behaviors might be due to the formation of face-centered cubic (fcc) delta-type hydrides at higher hydrogen contents but face-centered tetragonal (fct) gamma-type hydrides at lower hydrogen contents.

Chan, Kwai S.↗
DOE OSTI2025

Study of hydride reorientation and ductility of SRA ZIRLO and PRXA ZIRLO using ring compression testing (RCT)

Before dry storage, spent nuclear fuel is dried at high temperatures, which induces hydride dissolution. Radial hydride particles precipitate when cooled under a stress above a threshold stress. This process can severely degrade the ductility of cladding tubes. Zirconium alloys with different microstructures, such as grain boundary density, were quantified and studied to examine their effect on hydride reorientation. The ring compression loading mode creates a range of stress states depending on the location within the ring with respect to the applied load, producing various hydride morphologies that can be used to study the effects of microstructures on hydride reorientation. Finite element modeling was performed to calculate the hoop stress, which is the dominant stress, during hydride reorientation. These results were coupled with hydride morphology to determine the threshold stress for hydride reorientation, depending on the microstructure. In conclusion, the samples were then mechanically tested using ring compression to evaluate the ductility of zirconium alloys as a function of different hydride morphologies.

Hydride embrittlement↗
NASA NTRS1971

Tensile properties of titanium electrolytically charged with hydrogen

Yield strength, ultimate tensile strength, and elongation were studied for annealed titanium electrolytically charged with hydrogen. The hydrogen was present as a surface hydride layer. These tensile properties were generally lower for uncharged titanium than for titanium with a continuous surface hydride; they were greater for uncharged titanium than for titanium with an assumed discontinuous surface hydride. We suggest that the interface between titanium and titanium hydride is weak. And the hydride does not necessarily impair strength and ductility of annealed titanium. The possibility that oxygen and/or nitrogen can embrittle titanium hydride is discussed.

Smith, R. J.↗
NASA NTRS1971

Stress corrosion cracking of titanium alloys

Experiments were conducted to study (1) the basic electrochemical behavior of titanium in acid chloride solutions and (2) the response of the metal to dynamic straining in the same evironment. The aim of this group of experiments was to simulate, as nearly as possible, the actual conditions which exist at the tip of a crack. One of the foremost theories proposed to explain the propagation of stress corrosion cracks is a hydrogen embrittlement theory involving the precipitation of embrittling titanium hydrides inside the metal near the crack tip. An initial survey of the basic electrochemical literature indicated that surface hydrides play a critical role in the electrochemistry of titanium in acid solutions. A comprehensive analysis of the effect of surface films, particularly hydrides, on the electrochemical behavior of titanium in these solution is presented.

May, R. C.↗
DOE OSTI2025

Dislocation nano-hydrides in nickel: Nucleation, evolution and effects on dislocation behaviors

Nano-hydrides have been predicted to precipitate at the core of edge dislocations in the Ni-H system, a mechanism that may promote hydrogen embrittlement. However, nano-hydride nucleation, growth, and effects on dislocation behavior have seldom been explored. This work combines molecular dynamics grand canonical Monte Carlo (MD-GCMC) simulations and continuum modeling to uncover a wide range of phenomena linked to dislocation nano-hydrides. Simulations reveal that nano-hydrides can be stabilized at dislocation cores with all character angles, including screw segments, due to the hydrostatic stresses around the cores of the Shockley partials. Nano-hydride nucleation takes place in these regions, and growth is dictated by the character angle θ of the perfect dislocation. The equilibrium stacking fault width d eq varies dynamically to increase the local hydrostatic stress field and facilitate the formation of the nano-hydride, forming a constriction-like feature and leading to three distinct behaviors: d eq decreases for θ > 30°, d eq remains unchanged for θ = 30°, and d eq increases for θ < 30°. Remote hydrostatic and Escaig stresses are also shown to influence the nucleation stage, implying stress concentrations such as those ahead of crack tips may facilitate nano-hydride precipitation. Moreover, we identify a new hydrogen-induced 60° dislocation reaction that emits a Shockley partial on a conjugate plane, with potential implications for twin nucleation. Testable predictions from this study are then used to reinterpret previous results from the literature. In conclusion, these findings provide a comprehensive framework to assess nano-hydride formation and evolution at dislocations in nickel and other face-centered cubic metals, with important implications to hydrogen embrittlement.

Dislocations↗
NASA NTRS2003

Guide for Hydrogen Hazards Analysis on Components and Systems

The physical and combustion properties of hydrogen give rise to hazards that must be considered when designing and operating a hydrogen system. One of the major concerns in the use of hydrogen is that of fire or detonation because of hydrogen's wide flammability range, low ignition energy, and flame speed. Other concerns include the contact and interaction of hydrogen with materials, such as the hydrogen embrittlement of materials and the formation of hydrogen hydrides. The low temperature of liquid and slush hydrogen bring other concerns related to material compatibility and pressure control; this is especially important when dissimilar, adjoining materials are involved. The potential hazards arising from these properties and design features necessitate a proper hydrogen hazards analysis before introducing a material, component, or system into hydrogen service. The objective of this guide is to describe the NASA Johnson Space Center White Sands Test Facility hydrogen hazards analysis method that should be performed before hydrogen is used in components and/or systems. The method is consistent with standard practices for analyzing hazards. It is recommended that this analysis be made before implementing a hydrogen component qualification procedure. A hydrogen hazards analysis is a useful tool for hydrogen-system designers, system and safety engineers, and facility managers. A hydrogen hazards analysis can identify problem areas before hydrogen is introduced into a system-preventing damage to hardware, delay or loss of mission or objective, and possible injury or loss of life.

Beeson, Harold↗
NASA NTRS2006

Effects of Hydrogen on GRCop-84

This report is a section of the final report on the GRCop-84 task of the Constellation Program and incorporates the results obtained between October 2000 and September 2005 when the program ended. GRCop-84 contains approximately 5.5 wt% Nb. Nb can react with H and embrittle easily. Previous work had indicated the thermodynamic possibility that Cr 2 Nb could react with H and form niobium hydrides in the presence of high pressure H such as seen in the Space Shuttle Main Engine. In this study, samples were charged with H and then tested in both high pressure H and He environments to determine if measurable differences existed which indicate that hydrogen embrittlement occurs in GRCop-84. Tensile, notched tensile, stress rupture and low cycle fatigue properties were surveyed. High pressure H environment stress rupture testing resulted in a lower reduction in area than a high pressure He environment, and the LCF lives at high strain ranges fall below the lower 95 percent confidence interval for the baseline data, but in general no significant differences were noted either between H and He environment tests or between hydrogen charged materials and the baseline, uncharged extruded GRCop-84 data sets. There was also no discernable evidence of the formation of hydrides or changes in fracture morphology indicating hydrogen embrittlement occurred.

Ellis, David L.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Testing for hydrogen environment embrittlement - Primary and secondary influences

A somewhat phenomological overview of the hydrogen embrittlement process, both internal as well as external, is presented in a effort to make more clear the type of parameters which must be considered in the selection of a test method and test procedure so that the resulting data may be meaningfully applied to real engineering structures. What are believed to be the three primary influences on the embrittlement process are considered - the original location and form of the hydrogen, the transport reactions involved in the transport of hydrogen from its origin to some point it can interact with the metal to cause embrittlement, and the embrittlement interaction itself. Additionally, a few of the large number of secondary influences on the embrittlement process are discussed, for example, the influence of impurity species in the environment, surface hydride films, and surface oxide films.

Nelson, H. G.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Effect of hydrogen on the mechanical properties of titanium and its alloys

Occluded hydrogen resulting from cathodic charging of commercially pure titanium and titanium alloys, Ti-8Al-1Mo-1V and Ti-6Al-4V, was shown to cause embrittlement of the alloys. Embrittlement was a function of the interstitial hydrogen content rather than the amount of precipitated titanium hydride. The effects of hydrogen concentration on the critical strain for plastic instability along pure shear directions was determined for alloys Ti-8Al-1Mo-1V and Ti-5Al-2.5Sn. Hydrogen, in concentrations below that necessary for spontaneous hydride precipitation, increased the strain necessary for instability formation or instability failure. The strain rate sensitivity also increased with increasing hydrogen concentration. The effect of hydrogen on slip and twinning was determined for titanium single crystals. The critical resolved shear stress for prism slip was increased and the critical resolved shear stress for twinning was decreased with increasing hydrogen concentration.

Beck, F. H.↗
NASA NTRS1970

Effects of hydrogen on ELI titanium alloy Ti-5Al-2.5Sn

Tensile tests on titanium alloy, following abrasion under hydrogen and temperature cycling, reveal lowered tensile strength, increased ductility, and no embrittlement. Fretting the metal on itself in flowing hydrogen or abrading with an iron file in flowing hydrogen produces titanium hydride.

Chandler, W. T.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Interaction Of Hydrogen With Metal Alloys

Report describes experiments on interaction of hydrogen with number of metal alloys. Discusses relationship between metallurgical and crystallographic aspects of structures of alloys and observed distributions of hydrogen on charging. Also discusses effect of formation of hydrides on resistances of alloys to hydrogen. Describes attempt to correlate structures and compositions of alloys with their abilities to resist embrittlement by hydrogen.

Danford, M. D.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Diffusion Analysis Of Hydrogen-Desorption Measurements

Distribution of hydrogen in metal explains observed desorption rate. Report describes application of diffusion theory to anaylsis of experimental data on uptake and elimination of hydrogen in high-strength alloys of 25 degree C. Study part of program aimed at understanding embrittlement of metals by hydrogen. Two nickel-base alloys, Rene 41 and Waspaloy, and one ferrous alloy, 4340 steel, studied. Desorption of hydrogen explained by distribution of hydrogen in metal. "Fast" hydrogen apparently not due to formation of hydrides on and below surface as proposed.

Danford, Merlin D.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Environmental fatigue of an Al-Li-Cu alloy. Part 2: Microscopic hydrogen cracking processes

Based on a fractographic analysis of fatigue crack propagation (FCP) in Al-Li-Cu alloy 2090 stressed in a variety of inert and embrittling environments, microscopic crack paths are identified and correlated with intrinsic da/dN-delta K kinetics. FCP rates in 2090 are accelerated by hydrogen producing environments (pure water vapor, moist air, and aqueous NaCl), as defined in Part 1. For these cases, subgrain boundary fatigue cracking (SGC) dominates for delta K values where the crack tip process zone, a significant fraction of the cyclic plastic zone, is sufficiently large to envelop 5 micron subgrains in the unrecrystallized microstructure. SGC may be due to strong hydrogen trapping at T1 precipitates concentrated at sub-boundaries. At low delta K, the plastic zone diameter is smaller than the subgrain size and FCP progresses along (100) planes due to either local lattice decohesion or aluminum-lithium hydride cracking. For inert environments (vacuum, helium, and oxygen), or at high delta K where the hydrogen effect on da/dN is small, FCP is along (111) slip planes; this mode does not transition with increasing delta K and plastic zone size. The SGC and (100) crystallographic cracking modes, and the governing influence of the crack tip process zone volume (delta K), support hydrogen embrittlement rather than a surface film rupture and anodic dissolution mechanism for environmental FCP. Multi-sloped log da/dN-log delta K behavior is produced by changes in process zone hydrogen-microstructure interactions, and not by purely micromechanical-microstructure interactions, in contradiction to microstructural distance-based fatigue models.

Robert S Piascik↗
NASA NTRS1992

Environmental fatigue of an Al-Li-Cu alloy. Part 3: Modeling of crack tip hydrogen damage

Environmental fatigue crack propagation rates and microscopic damage modes in Al-Li-Cu alloy 2090 (Parts 1 and 2) are described by a crack tip process zone model based on hydrogen embrittlement. Da/dN sub ENV equates to discontinuous crack advance over a distance, delta a, determined by dislocation transport of dissolved hydrogen at plastic strains above a critical value; and to the number of load cycles, delta N, required to hydrogenate process zone trap sites that fracture according to a local hydrogen concentration-tensile stress criterion. Transgranular (100) cracking occurs for process zones smaller than the subgrain size, and due to lattice decohesion or hydride formation. Intersubgranular cracking dominates when the process zone encompasses one or more subgrains so that dislocation transport provides hydrogen to strong boundary trapping sites. Multi-sloped log da/dN-log delta K behavior is produced by process zone plastic strain-hydrogen-microstructure interactions, and is determined by the DK dependent rates and proportions of each parallel cracking mode. Absolute values of the exponents and the preexponential coefficients are not predictable; however, fractographic measurements theta sub i coupled with fatigue crack propagation data for alloy 2090 established that the process zone model correctly describes fatigue crack propagation kinetics. Crack surface films hinder hydrogen uptake and reduce da/dN and alter the proportions of each fatigue crack propagation mode.

Piascik, Robert S.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Hydrogen interactions with metals

Review of the literature on the nature and extent of hydrogen interactions with metals and the role of hydrogen in metal failure. The classification of hydrogen-containing systems is discussed, including such categories as covalent hydrides, volatile hydrides, polymeric hydrides, and transition metal hydride complexes. The use of electronegativity as a correlating parameter in determining hydride type is evaluated. A detailed study is made of the thermodynamics of metal-hydrogen systems, touching upon such aspects as hydrogen solubility, the positions occupied by hydrogen atoms within the solvent metal lattice, the derivation of thermodynamic functions of solid solutions from solubility data, and the construction of statistical models for hydrogen-metal solutions. A number of theories of hydrogen-metal bonding are reviewed, including the rigid-band model, the screened-proton model, and an approach employing the augmented plane wave method to solve the one-electron energy band problem. Finally, the mechanism of hydrogen embrittlement is investigated on the basis of literature data concerning stress effects and the kinetics of hydrogen transport to critical sites.

Mclellan, R. B.↗