Several stainless steels and Ni-base alloys were investigated to compare their hydrogen embrittlement susceptibility in annealed, cold-worked, and aged conditions. Cathodic hydrogen charging was used for introducing hydrogen, and reverse bending tests were applied in measuring hydrogen-induced ductility loss. It was found that hydrogen embrittlement increased with increasing nickel content. Cold-working and thermal aging at 500 deg. C. Optical metallographic examination and X-ray diffraction analysis showed substantial microstructural and structural changes in all the materials under investigation, but the standard and highly alloyed stainless steels in cold-worked and cold-worked and aged cases were more resistant to hydrogen-induced ductility loss that highly corrosion resistant Ni-base alloys.
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