Experimental and molecular dynamics study of the hydrogen embrittlement behavior of X52 steel: Analysis of abnormal hydrogen embrittlement susceptibility

R Zhang and C Yuan and CW Liu and CL Wang and XS Xu and JX Zhang and YX Li, INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HYDROGEN ENERGY, 83, 987-1002 (2024).

DOI: 10.1016/j.ijhydene.2024.08.183

The hydrogen embrittlement (HE) susceptibility of the X52 pipeline steels in simulated hydrogen-blended natural gas (HBNG) environments were investigated with a combination of in situ high-pressure gaseous hydrogen permeation tests, slow strain rate tensile (SSRT) tests and molecular dynamics simulation, the results were compared with the X80 steel. The HE susceptibility of the X52 steel was found higher than that of the X80 steel. The mechanism of the two steels showing different HE susceptibility was analyzed from a point of permeation parameters and molecular dynamics simulation. The results showed that the X52 steel contained more impurity elements and a larger grain size, leading to a higher hydrogen solubility and a microstructure with lower HE resistance. This study suggests that the steel microstructure and the hydrogen permeation property are crucial for the understanding and prediction of the HE susceptibility of the steels.

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