Grain-boundary embrittlement

On a more positive note, it seems clear that steels can be made more resistant to the effects of hydrogen by incorporating as many strong, finely dispersed traps in the microstructure as is possible, while ensuring that there are no continuous trap sites (such as embrittled grain boundaries). 

Figure 7.8 Schematic stress-straia curves for a ductile metal (a) and a metal with embrittled grain boundaries (b).

Sensitization temperatures (under -320°F). Room temperature embrittlement is nominal. and vessels. stabilized (Types 321,347) and extra low carbon (304 L, 316L) grades. into grain boundaries, with depletion of chromium in contiguous grain boundary areas. austenitic stainless steels. 

If the major constituents of a solid alloy in contact with a liquid alloy are highly soluble in the latter without formation of compounds, progressive attack by solution is to be expected. If, on the other hand, a stable inter-metallic compound is formed, having a melting point above the temperature of reaction, a layer of this compound will form at the interface and reduce the rate of attack to a level controlled by diffusion processes in the solid state. By far the most serious attack, however, occurs in the presence of stresses, since in this case the liquid alloy, or a product of its reaction with the solid alloy, may penetrate along the grain boundaries, with resultant embrittlement and serious loss of strength. 

Pfeiffer contends that, in undeoxidised nickel at least, the low sulphur contents normally found are insufficient to cause grain-boundary embrittlement and that the latter is, generally, due to intergranular oxides. In the presence of sulphur-containing gases, however, the level of sulphur required. 

Chemical reaction This involves the formation of distinct compounds by reaction between the solid metal and the fused metal or salt. If such compounds form an adherent, continuous layer at the interface they tend to inhibit continuation of the reaction. If, however, they are non-adherent or soluble in the molten phase, no protection will be offered. In some instances, the compounds form in the matrix of the alloy, for example as grain-boundary intermetallic compound, and result in harmful liquid metal embrittlement (LME) although no corrosion loss can be observed. 

Caustic embrittlement corrosion is intergranular, and cracks appear along the grain boundaries. The process is accelerated by ... 

Caustic cracking (caustic embrittlement) Intergranular corrosion affects both carbon steels and austenitic steels and accelerated by high stress, higher temperatures, and impurities in grain boundaries. 

Caustic embrittlement corrosion (caustic induced, stress corrosion cracking), which occurs as an intergranular form of corrosion where localized stresses and strains are present (and some silicate, which acts as a general corrosion inhibitor that protects grains at the expense of the grain boundaries). 

Ag-doped Cu. In all the boundaries examined by Bruley et al. (1999), Ag segregation did not lead to any observable effect on the Cu L2>3 edge, either in the as-recorded spectra or the difference spectra. Ag segregation does not embrittle Cu, and so the absence of a detectable effect is consistent with the suggestion that electronic factors are responsible for grain boundary weakness. 

Tritium and its decay product, helium, change the structural properties of stainless steels and make them more susceptible to cracking. Tritium embrittlement is an enhanced form of hydrogen embrittlement because of the presence of He from tritium decay which nucleates as nanometer-sized bubbles on dislocations, grain boundaries, and other microstructural defects. Steels with decay helium bubble microstructures are hardened and less able to deform plastically and become more susceptible to embrittlement by hydrogen and its isotopes (1-7). 

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