Hydrogen diffusion and sulfide stress cracking of simulated heat-affected zone (HAZ) of A516- 65 grade steel were examined using an electrochemical permeation technique, glycerin volumetric method, and constant loading method. HAZ samples were fabricated using a metal thermal cycle simulator with a welding heat input of 20, 35, and 50 kJ/cm. The fractions of bainite and martensite-austenite (M-A) constituent in coarse-grained HAZ (CGHAZ) and intercritical HAZ (ICHAZ) obtained by a simulated thermal cycle with a low heat input (20 kJ/cm) were higher than those with a higher heat input. These fractions contributed to the increase in the reversible hydrogen trap density (N_[H]rev) and reversibly trapped hydrogen concentrations (C_rev). Although CGHAZ had higher N_[H]rev and C_rev meaning that it is more likely to be vulnerable to brittle failure by hydrogen, actual fracture by sulfide stress cracking (SSC) occurred in ICHAZ composed of a mixture of soft ferrite/pearlite, and hard bainite and M-A. The hydrogen diffusion/trapping parameters, which were obtained from the electrochemical permeation or glycerin method, cannot be directly indicative of the resistance to SSC of the steel in a H₂S environment. The susceptibility to SSC was more influenced by the level of M-A-localization and localized corrosion attack, acting as a stress intensifier under a tensile load.

This study examined the effects of minor alloying elements (C, Ni, Cr, and Mo) on the long-term corrosion behaviors of ultrahigh-strength automotive steel sheets with a tensile strength of more than 1800 MPa. A range of experimental and analytical results showed that the addition of Ni, Cr, and Mo decreased the corrosion current density and weight loss in electrochemical and immersion tests, respectively, in a neutral aqueous condition. This suggests that the minor addition of elements to steel can result in improved corrosion resistance even for long-term immersion periods. This is closely associated with the formation of thin and stable corrosion scale on the surface, which was enriched with the alloying elements (Ni, Cr, and Mo). On the other hand, their beneficial effects did not persist during the prolonged immersion periods in steel with a higher C content, suggesting that the beneficial effects of the minor addition of Ni, Cr, and Mo were overridden by the detrimental effects of a higher C content as the immersion time was increased. Based on these results, lower C and the optimal use of Ni, Cr, and Mo are suggested as a desirable alloy design strategy for developing ultrahigh-strength steel sheets that can be exposed frequently to a neutral aqueous environment.