Direct Imaging of Hydrogen‐Driven Dislocation and Strain Field Evolution in a Stainless Steel Grain
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Hydrogen embrittlement (HE) poses a significant challenge to the durability of materials used in hydrogen production and utilization. Disentangling the competing nanoscale mechanisms driving HE often relies on simulations and electron-transparent sample techniques, limiting experimental insights into hydrogen-induced dislocation behavior in bulk materials. This study employs in situ Bragg coherent X-ray diffraction imaging to track three-dimensional (3D) dislocation and strain field evolution during hydrogen charging in a bulk grain of austenitic 316 stainless steel. Tracking a single dislocation reveals hydrogen-enhanced mobility and relaxation, consistent with dislocation dynamics simulations. Subsequent observations reveal dislocation unpinning and climb processes, likely driven by osmotic forces. Additionally, nanoscale strain analysis around the dislocation core directly measures hydrogen-induced elastic shielding. These findings experimentally validate theoretical predictions and offer mechanistic insights into hydrogen-driven dislocation behavior. The quantified nanoscale phenomena serve as critical inputs for multiscale modeling frameworks to predict bulk material responses and accelerate the development of HE-resistant alloys.
Source: Advanced Materials
Language: English
Subfield: Metals and Alloys
Field: Materials Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $6,070
Funders: U.S. Department of Energy, University of Oxford, European Commission, Swinburne University of Technology, General Sir John Monash Foundation, Office of Science, Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, Horizon 2020, Basic Energy Sciences, Argonne National Laboratory, Brookhaven National Laboratory
Awards: G102163711, G107546177, G1285306620, G1286251239, G1313983767, G1664757510, G171842289, G1847291448, G2287611682, G241279073, G262962599, G3075337988, G3262563802, G357145406, G426311843, G434337789, G4874716367, G498139845, G5387317844, G5535608740, G5765906131, G5904151224, G6256534168, G6848031779, G6918803902, G6965541988, G7463374569, G7583137537, G830500123, G969889393, G993149817
OpenAlex ID: W4414081273