Acta Metallurgica Sinica (English Letters) ›› 2016, Vol. 29 ›› Issue (1): 1-7.DOI: 10.1007/s40195-015-0358-x

Special Issue: 2016-2017镁合金虚拟专辑

• Article •     Next Articles

Effect of Hydrogen on Corrosion and Stress Corrosion Cracking of AZ91 Alloy in Aqueous Solutions

Jian Chen1,2(), Jian-Qiu Wang3, En-Hou Han3, Wei Ke3, D. W. Shoesmith1,2   

  1. 1 Department of Chemistry, Western University, London, ON N6A 5B7, Canada
    2 Surface Science Western, Western University, London, ON N6G 0J3, Canada
    3 Key Laboratory of Nuclear Materials and Safety Assessment, Institute of Metal Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110016, China
  • Received:2016-01-04 Revised:2016-01-04 Online:2016-01-04 Published:2016-01-20

Abstract:

The effect of hydrogen on the corrosion and stress corrosion cracking of the magnesium AZ91 alloy has been investigated in aqueous solutions. Hydrogen produced by corrosion in water diffuses into, and reacts with the Mg matrix to form hydride. Some of the hydrogen accumulates at hydride/Mg matrix (or secondary phase) interfaces as a consequence of slow hydride formation and the incompatibility of the hydride with the Mg matrix (or secondary phase), and combines to form molecular hydrogen. This leads to the development of a local pressure at the hydride/Mg matrix (or secondary phase) interface. The expansion stress caused by hydride formation and the local hydrogen pressure due to its accumulation result in brittle fracture of hydride. These two combined effects promote both the corrosion rate of the AZ91 alloy, and crack initiation and propagation even in the absence of an external load. Hydrogen absorption leads to a dramatic deterioration in the mechanical properties of the AZ91 alloy, indicating that hydrogen embrittlement is responsible for transgulanar stress corrosion cracking in aqueous solutions.

Key words: AZ91 alloy, Corrosion, Hydrogen, Secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS), Transgulanar stress corrosion cracking (TGSCC)