Experimental Characterization of Hydrogen Trapping on API 5CT P110 Steel. Part. I: Effect on Hydrogen Embrittlement Susceptibility

Abstract

Hydrogen permeation tests and tensile mechanical tests were performed at room temperature on API 5CT P110 steel to characterize hydrogen trapping and to evaluate their hydrogen embrittlement susceptibility. The hydrogen trap density was calculated from two consecutive hydrogen permeation transients plotted using an electrochemical cell. Slow strain rate tensile tests on hydrogen-charged samples through cathodic polarization at different potentials were performed to evaluate the hydrogen embrittlement susceptibility. Thereby it was established the lowest potential that characterizes the onset of the cathodic overprotection for studied steel. After mechanical tests was observed a decrease in ductility as the protection potential became more negative and that the fracture mode was changed from ductile microvoid coalescence on the as-received steel to extended quasi-cleavage on the hydrogen-charged steel. The results showed that API 5CT P110 steel has high susceptibility to hydrogen embrittlement conditioned by a predominance of reversible traps in microstructure and by high hydrogen solubility.