Changes in hydrogen states after interactions between hydrogen and stress-induced martensite transformation for Ni–Ti superelastic alloy

Abstract

Changes in hydrogen states after dynamic interactions between hydrogen and a stress-induced martensite transformation have been investigated for Ni–Ti superelastic alloy. After homogenised hydrogen concentration by aging, the interactions change the hydrogen thermal desorption behaviour. Hydrogen in a solid solution probably changes to hydrogen trapped in damage regions induced by the interactions, as reported previously. With time after the interactions, the amount of hydrogen desorbed at low temperatures (200–400°C) markedly increases, clearly indicating that hydrogen states further change from the states immediately after the interactions. In cyclic tensile deformation in the stress plateau region caused by stress-induced martensite and reverse transformations, the number of cycles to fracture substantially increases with time after the interactions. The present results indicate that hydrogen states further change to a nominally interacting state after the interactions despite the absence of dynamic structural changes and a hydrogen concentration gradient, thereby suppressing hydrogen embrittlement related to the martensite transformation of the alloy.