Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: High Resolution Image Download MS PowerPoint Slide Supermartensitic stainless steels (SMSS) reinforced with a percolated boride network offer exceptional corrosion and wear resistance, making them well-suited for oil and gas applications. However, hydrogen embrittlement (HE) poses significant challenges in offshore environments. This study examines HE in SMSS with boron additions ranging from 0.3 to 0.7 wt %. Samples were subjected to hydrogen charging at −1.3 VSCE, 43 mA/cm 2 for 168 h in a 3.5 wt % NaCl solution, followed by slow strain rate tensile testing. While boron additions improved tensile strength, they severely reduced ductility. After hydrogen charging, mechanical degradation intensified, with SMSS-0.7%B experiencing >55% reduction in tensile strength and elongation. All boron-rich alloys displayed brittle intergranular fractures caused by M 2 B borides at the grain boundaries. HE impacted both the martensitic matrices and borides, with fractures initiating in boride-rich regions and propagating via secondary cracks. These results underscore a synergistic embrittlement mechanism and emphasize the importance of optimizing microstructures to enhance hydrogen resistance in boron-reinforced SMSS.
Source: ACS Omega
Authors: Arthur de Bribean Guerra, Daniel Brito Bertoldi, Guilherme Zepon, Paulo Sérgio Carvalho Pereira da Silva, Tomaz Toshimi Ishikawa, Guilherme Yuuki Koga, Claudemiro Bolfarini
Institution: Universidade Federal de São Carlos
Language: English
Subfield: Metals and Alloys
Field: Materials Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $1,935
Award: G2791755344
OpenAlex ID: W4413129642