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Intergranular fracture in 4340-type steels: Effects of impurities and hydrogen

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Abstract

A study has been made of the conditions which lead to intergranular brittle fracture in 4340-type steels at an ultra high yield strength level (200 ksi, 380 MPa) in both an ambi-ent environment and gaseous hydrogen. By means of Charpy impact tests on commercial and high purity steels, and by Auger electron spectroscopy of fracture surfaces, it is con-cluded that one-step temper embrittlement (OSTE or “500°F embrittlement”), and low K intergranular cracking in gaseous hydrogen are primarily the result of segregation of P to prior austenite grain boundaries. Segregation of N may also contribute to OSTE. Most, if not all, segregation apparently occurs during austenitization, rather than during tem-pering. Elimination of impurity effects by use of a high purity NiCrMoC steel results in an increase inK th for hydrogen-induced cracking by about a factor of five (to the range 130 to 140 MNm-3/2). These observations are discussed in terms of our understanding of the mechanisms of OSTE and hydrogen-assisted cracking.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Foote Mineral Co., Exton, PA

    S. K. Banerji (Senior Research Metallurgist)

  2. Department of Metal-lurgy and Materials Science, University of Pennsylvania, 19104, Philadelphia, PA

    C. J. McMahon (Professor)

Authors
  1. S. K. Banerji
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  2. C. J. McMahon
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  3. H. C. Feng
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Additional information

H. C. FENG, now deceased, was formerly with Research Staff, LRSM, University of Pennsylvania.

S. K. Banerji was formerly Post-Doctoral Fellow.

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Banerji, S.K., McMahon, C.J. & Feng, H.C. Intergranular fracture in 4340-type steels: Effects of impurities and hydrogen. Metall Trans A 9, 237–247 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02646706

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02646706

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