Effects of Hydrogen Diffusion on the Mechanical Properties of Austenite 316L Steel at Ambient Temperature

Abstract

This study examined how the strain rate affects the room-temperature tensile behavior of hydrogen-charged 316L stainless steels. A high-temperature homogenization treatment was applied to the specimens after hydrogen charging and copper electroplating to remove the hydrogen concentration gradient. A softening phenomenon was observed in the hardening behavior of the H-charged and homogenized specimen at a strain rate of 2×10−3/s. The observation was further confirmed by an inspection of the fracture surface of the tensile test specimen.