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Physical Sciences · Materials Science

Hydrogen embrittlement and corrosion behaviors in metals
Research Guide

What is Hydrogen embrittlement and corrosion behaviors in metals?

Hydrogen embrittlement and corrosion behaviors in metals refers to the processes by which absorbed hydrogen reduces the ductility and strength of metals and alloys, often in conjunction with corrosion mechanisms such as pitting and passive film breakdown, particularly in stainless steels.

This field encompasses 62,442 papers examining hydrogen embrittlement, hydrogen trapping, passive films, pitting corrosion, and mechanical properties in metals. Key studies include hydrogen-enhanced localized plasticity as a fracture mechanism in "Hydrogen-enhanced localized plasticity—a mechanism for hydrogen-related fracture" (1994). Microstructural properties and grain boundary engineering are analyzed alongside electrochemical studies of corrosion behavior.

Topic Hierarchy

100%

graph TD D["Physical Sciences"] F["Materials Science"] S["Metals and Alloys"] T["Hydrogen embrittlement and corrosion behaviors in metals"] D --> F F --> S S --> T style T fill:#DC5238,stroke:#c4452e,stroke-width:2px

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62.4K

Papers

N/A

5yr Growth

768.0K

Total Citations

Research Sub-Topics

Hydrogen Embrittlement Mechanisms in Steels

This sub-topic elucidates atomic-scale processes like hydrogen-enhanced decohesion and localized plasticity in ferritic and austenitic steels. Researchers use DFT modeling and fracture mechanics testing.

15 papers

Hydrogen Trapping in Metals

This sub-topic characterizes reversible and irreversible traps such as dislocations, precipitates, and grain boundaries via thermal desorption spectroscopy. Researchers quantify trap energies and densities.

15 papers

Pitting Corrosion of Stainless Steels

This sub-topic studies pit initiation, propagation, and repassivation influenced by chloride ions and inclusions. Researchers apply electrochemical noise and 3D pit morphology analysis.

15 papers

Grain Boundary Engineering for Corrosion Resistance

This sub-topic optimizes coincident site lattice boundaries to mitigate intergranular corrosion and hydrogen ingress. Researchers employ thermomechanical processing and EBSD characterization.

15 papers

Passive Film Stability on Stainless Steels

This sub-topic investigates composition, thickness, and breakdown of Cr-rich oxide films under electrochemical stress. Researchers use XPS, ellipsometry, and impedance spectroscopy.

15 papers

Why It Matters

Hydrogen embrittlement compromises the mechanical integrity of metals used in high-pressure hydrogen storage and transportation systems, leading to brittle fractures under stress. In stainless steels, pitting corrosion initiates localized breakdown of passive films, accelerating hydrogen ingress and embrittlement, as detailed in "Pitting Corrosion of Metals: A Review of the Critical Factors" (Frankel, 1998), which identifies critical factors influencing pit formation. "Semiempirical, Quantum Mechanical Calculation of Hydrogen Embrittlement in Metals" (Daw and Baskes, 1983) demonstrates that hydrogen reduces fracture stress in nickel, with implications for alloy design in aerospace applications referenced in "Recent developments in stainless steels" (Lo et al., 2009). These behaviors affect industries reliant on durable metals, such as energy infrastructure, where preventing hydrogen-related failures ensures safety and longevity.

Reading Guide

Where to Start

"Semiempirical, Quantum Mechanical Calculation of Hydrogen Embrittlement in Metals" (Daw and Baskes, 1983) because it provides a foundational atomic-scale model of hydrogen reducing fracture stress in nickel, introducing core mechanisms accessibly.

Key Papers Explained

"Semiempirical, Quantum Mechanical Calculation of Hydrogen Embrittlement in Metals" (Daw and Baskes, 1983) establishes quantum modeling of embrittlement, which "Hydrogen-enhanced localized plasticity—a mechanism for hydrogen-related fracture" (Dubé and Sofronis, 1994) extends to plasticity-driven fracture. "Pitting Corrosion of Metals: A Review of the Critical Factors" (Frankel, 1998) connects corrosion phenomenology to embrittlement sites, while "Recent developments in stainless steels" (Lo et al., 2009) applies these to alloy-specific behaviors. "Principles and prevention of corrosion" (Jones, 1991) provides electrochemical context linking all.

Paper Timeline

100%

graph LR P0["THE USE OF LEAD CITRATE AT HIGH ...
1963 · 25.0K cites"] P1["Semiempirical, Quantum Mechanica...
1983 · 2.7K cites"] P2["Hydrogen-enhanced localized plas...
1994 · 2.1K cites"] P3["An overview on the use of titani...
1996 · 2.3K cites"] P4["Hall–Petch relation and boundary...
2004 · 3.3K cites"] P5["Recent developments in stainless...
2009 · 2.2K cites"] P6["Orientation gradients and geomet...
2010 · 2.1K cites"] P0 --> P1 P1 --> P2 P2 --> P3 P3 --> P4 P4 --> P5 P5 --> P6 style P0 fill:#DC5238,stroke:#c4452e,stroke-width:2px

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Most-cited paper highlighted in red. Papers ordered chronologically.

Advanced Directions

Current frontiers emphasize hydrogen trapping and grain boundary engineering in stainless steels, as inferred from the field's 62,442 papers on microstructural properties and electrochemical studies, though no recent preprints or news are available.

Papers at a Glance

#	Paper	Year	Venue	Citations	Open Access
1	THE USE OF LEAD CITRATE AT HIGH pH AS AN ELECTRON-OPAQUE STAIN...	1963	The Journal of Cell Bi...	25.0K	✓
2	Hall–Petch relation and boundary strengthening	2004	Scripta Materialia	3.3K	✕
3	Semiempirical, Quantum Mechanical Calculation of Hydrogen Embr...	1983	Physical Review Letters	2.7K	✕
4	An overview on the use of titanium in the aerospace industry	1996	Materials Science and ...	2.3K	✕
5	Recent developments in stainless steels	2009	Materials Science and ...	2.2K	✕
6	Hydrogen-enhanced localized plasticity—a mechanism for hydroge...	1994	Materials Science and ...	2.1K	✕
7	Orientation gradients and geometrically necessary dislocations...	2010	Materials Science and ...	2.1K	✕
8	Encyclopedia of Electrochemistry of the Elements	1974	Journal of The Electro...	2.1K	✕
9	Principles and prevention of corrosion	1991	—	2.0K	✕
10	Pitting Corrosion of Metals: A Review of the Critical Factors	1998	Journal of The Electro...	2.0K	✓

Frequently Asked Questions

What is hydrogen embrittlement in metals?

Hydrogen embrittlement is the loss of ductility and strength in metals due to absorbed hydrogen, which promotes brittle fracture. "Semiempirical, Quantum Mechanical Calculation of Hydrogen Embrittlement in Metals" (Daw and Baskes, 1983) shows hydrogen reduces fracture stress in nickel using embedded atom method calculations. This occurs alongside corrosion processes like pitting in stainless steels.

How does pitting corrosion contribute to hydrogen embrittlement?

Pitting corrosion causes localized breakdown of protective passive films, enabling hydrogen entry into the metal. "Pitting Corrosion of Metals: A Review of the Critical Factors" (Frankel, 1998) explains pitting as accelerated dissolution at film defects. This facilitates hydrogen trapping and embrittlement under mechanical stress.

What role does hydrogen-enhanced localized plasticity play in fracture?

Hydrogen-enhanced localized plasticity increases strain localization at crack tips, driving fracture in metals. "Hydrogen-enhanced localized plasticity—a mechanism for hydrogen-related fracture" (Dubé and Sofronis, 1994) identifies this as a primary hydrogen-related fracture mechanism. It links microstructural changes to reduced ductility.

What are key factors in stainless steel corrosion behavior?

Stainless steels exhibit corrosion behaviors influenced by passive films, pitting, and microstructural properties. "Recent developments in stainless steels" (Lo et al., 2009) covers advancements in these areas. Grain boundary engineering mitigates pitting and hydrogen effects.

How do semiempirical methods model hydrogen embrittlement?

Semiempirical quantum mechanical models like the embedded atom method simulate hydrogen-metal interactions. "Semiempirical, Quantum Mechanical Calculation of Hydrogen Embrittlement in Metals" (Daw and Baskes, 1983) applies this to predict reduced fracture stress in nickel. These static treatments reveal embrittlement mechanisms at the atomic scale.

What prevents corrosion in metals according to key principles?

Corrosion prevention involves understanding passivity, pitting, and electrochemical kinetics. "Principles and prevention of corrosion" (Jones, 1991) outlines methods like polarization measurements and galvanic protection. These principles apply to hydrogen embrittlement mitigation in alloys.

Open Research Questions

? How do hydrogen trapping sites interact with pitting-induced defects in stainless steels to accelerate embrittlement?
? What microstructural modifications via grain boundary engineering best mitigate combined hydrogen embrittlement and localized corrosion?
? Can embedded atom models accurately predict hydrogen-enhanced plasticity thresholds across diverse metal alloys?
? Which electrochemical factors dominate passive film stability under hydrogen charging conditions?
? How does orientation gradient in ultrafine-grained steels influence hydrogen diffusion and fracture resistance?

Recent Trends

The field maintains 62,442 papers with sustained focus on hydrogen embrittlement in stainless steels, passive films, and pitting corrosion, as per keyword analysis including hydrogen trapping and mechanical properties.

Highly cited works like "Semiempirical, Quantum Mechanical Calculation of Hydrogen Embrittlement in Metals" (Daw and Baskes, 1983, 2660 citations) and "Hydrogen-enhanced localized plasticity—a mechanism for hydrogen-related fracture" (Dubé and Sofronis, 1994, 2097 citations) anchor ongoing research, with no new preprints or news in the last 6-12 months indicating steady rather than accelerating publication.