Differences between internal and external hydrogen effects on slow strain rate tensile test of iron-based superalloy A286

To investigate the evaluation method of hydrogen compatibility of A286 superalloy in high pressure hydrogen gas, SSRT tests of hydrogen-charged specimens were conducted at ambient temperature at various strain rates. The relative reduction in area (RRA), one of the ductility parameters, was determined. The hydrogen content in the hydrogen-charged specimen was the same as the equilibrium hydrogen content on the specimen surface at 150 °C in 70 MPa hydrogen gas. The strain rate dependence of RRA was smaller than that of RRA obtained in 70 MPa hydrogen gas at 150 °C. All the hydrogen-charged specimens showed slip-plane fractures in the grains in their cores. However, the specimens in 70 MPa hydrogen gas at 150 °C showed fracture surfaces morphology ranging from dimples to quasi-cleavages and intergranular fractures with decreasing strain rate. These dissimilarities are expected to arise from differences in the hydrogen concentration behaviors of the specimens during the deformation process.