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Evidence on the corrosion‐induced hydrogen embrittlement of the 2024 aluminium alloy
Author(s) -
PETROYIANNIS P. V.,
KAMOUTSI E.,
KERMANIDIS AL. TH.,
PANTELAKIS S. G.,
BONTOZOGLOU V.,
HAIDEMENOPOULOS G. N.
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
fatigue and fracture of engineering materials and structures
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.887
H-Index - 84
eISSN - 1460-2695
pISSN - 8756-758X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1460-2695.2005.00900.x
Subject(s) - materials science , hydrogen embrittlement , metallurgy , ductility (earth science) , ultimate tensile strength , alloy , embrittlement , corrosion , intergranular corrosion , environmental stress fracture , hydrogen , tensile testing , fractography , intergranular fracture , aluminium , creep , chemistry , organic chemistry
The present work aims to provide evidence of corrosion‐induced hydrogen embrittlement of the aircraft aluminium alloy 2024. An extensive experimental investigation involving metallographic and fractographic analyses as well as mechanical testing was performed. The corrosion exposure led to a moderate reduction in yield and ultimate tensile stress and a dramatic reduction in tensile ductility. Metallographic investigation of the specimens revealed a hydrogen‐rich embrittled zone just below the corrosion layer. Furthermore, fractographic analyses showed an intergranular fracture at the specimen surface followed by a zone of quasi‐cleavage fracture and further below an entirely ductile fracture. Mechanical removal of the corroded layers restored the yield and ultimate stress almost to their initial values but not the tensile ductility. The tensile ductility was restored to the level of the uncorroded material only after heat treatment at 495°C. Measurement of hydrogen evolution with temperature showed that by heating the corroded alloy at 495°C, the trapped hydrogen is released.