Development of a Method for Controlled Hydrogen Fragmentation of Medium-Carbon Steels to Reduce Their Crack Resistance

The paper considers the use of hydrogen as a component of the technological process to solve an applied problem - the control of material defects, which consisted of controlled fragmentation of steel under dynamic loading to facilitate the cracking of the metal volume. Medium-carbon pearlite-ferrite steel of steel 60 types under electrochemical hydrogenation is studied. The criterion parameter of the material state was the energy of impact loading by three-point bending of smooth beam specimens. By selecting the electrochemical hydrogenation modes in terms of intensity (current) and duration of the process, as well as the composition of the electrolyte, a significant reduction in the energy intensity of steel fracture was obtained, which correlates with the residual hydrogen concentration in the metal. Metallographic analysis of the surface of the specimens confirmed the hydrogenation effect on the initiation of defects, which can be used for controlled steel fragmentation.