Evaluation of Material Compatibility for Hydrogen Applications Using Performance Factors Obtained by In-Situ SP Test

Abstract

Recently, a simple screening technique based on the quantitative evaluation of the hydrogen embrittlement (HE) sensitivity of the metallic materials using an in-situ small-punch (SP) test method was developed by the author group. The in-situ SP test can be easily carried out even under a high-pressure hydrogen gas environment. It makes possible to investigate the HE behaviors of metallic materials quantitatively adopting as a characterizing performance factor of the relative reduction of thickness (RRT) measured at the fractured parts of specimen after SP tests. In this paper, the application of the newly established in-situ SP test method for the hydrogen compatibility screening of austenitic stainless steels was performed at room and low temperatures. The influence of punch velocity on RRT of the HE sensitivity was examined for various austenitic stainless steels. Their HE sensitivities were evaluated quantitatively using RRT and checked by comparing to a factor, the relative reduction of area (RRA) obtained by SSRT tests.