The effect of cathodic hydrogen charging on the tensile and constant load properties was deter- mined for an austenitic stainless steel weldment comprising a 304L steel in the solution treated condition as a base metal and a 308L filler steel as a weld metal. Part of the 304L solution treated steel was separately given additional sensitization treatment to simulate the microstructure that would develop in the heat affected zone. Tests were performed at room temperature on notched round bar specimens. Hydrogen charging resulted in a pronounced embrittlement of the tested materials. This was manifested mainly as a considerable loss in the ductility of tensile specimens and a decrease in the time to failure and threshold stress of constant load specimens. The 308L weld metal exhibited the highest, and the 304L solution treated steel the lowest, resistance to hydrogen embrittlement. Hydrogen embrittlement was associated with the formation of strain induced martensite as well as a transition from brittle to ductile fracture morphology onwards the centre of the specimens.
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