Investigating the Mechanisms of Hydrogen Embrittlement Resistance in Pre-Strained CoCrNi Medium-Entropy Alloy via Hydrogen Migration and Trapping Behavior

Hydrogen embrittlement (HE) is a critical issue that constrains the service reliability of structural alloys in hydrogen-rich environments. For the CoCrNi medium-entropy alloy (MEA), the interplay between deformation twins (DTs) and HE remains controversial, and the mechanism by which pre-strain-induced twin boundaries (TBs) influence hydrogen migration pathways and fracture behavior still requires further elucidation. To address this, the present study employed multiple complementary techniques, including slow strain rate tensile (SSRT) testing, electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) analysis, direct hydrogen visualization via hydrogen microprinting (HMP), and microhardness measurements, to comparatively investigate the hydrogen-induced cracking behavior of the alloy subjected to pre-strain levels of 0%, 30%, and 50%. Experimental results reveal that dense nanoscale TBs can serve as both effective hydrogen trapping sites and diffusion barriers, substantially modifying the hydrogen distribution pattern and preventing substantial hydrogen enrichment at grain boundaries (GBs). This twin-dominated regulatory mechanism significantly suppresses hydrogen-induced intergranular fracture, endowing the material with outstanding HE resistance. These findings elucidate the intrinsic anti-HE mechanism governed by twin structures and provide a microstructural design basis for the development of high-performance hydrogen-resistant multi-principal element alloys (MPEAs).