The Influence of Hydrogen-Charging Current Density and Temperature on Hydrogen Permeation and Hydrogen Embrittlement Susceptibility of 4130X Steel

CJ Xu and F Wang and JQ Li, MATERIALS, 18, 3448 (2025).

DOI: 10.3390/ma18153448

Chromium-molybdenum steels are extensively used in manufacturing large- volume seamless hydrogen storage vessels, but they still suffer from the hydrogen embrittlement problem. In this study, electrochemical cathodic hydrogen charging is utilized to investigate the hydrogen embrittlement of 4130X steels, with emphasis on the influence of charging current density and temperature on hydrogen permeation and hydrogen embrittlement susceptibility. The hydrogen penetration rate and hydrogen diffusion coefficient of 4130X steel both increase with an increase in hydrogen-charging current density and temperature. The results demonstrate that the degree of hydrogen-induced degradation in tensile ductility is more marked with increasing hydrogen-charging current density, while the hydrogen embrittlement index exhibits a peak at a temperature of 308 K, in which brittle patterns like quasi-cleavage surfaces and crack formations occur. These findings are crucial for understanding hydrogen-induced embrittlement and determining test temperatures of hydrogen-related engineering material applications.

Return to Publications page