Avaliação da fragilização por hidrogênio no aço maraging 300

Abstract

Maraging steels are ultra high strength alloys widely used in engineering applications from high pressure vessels operating in critical processes, aircraft components, military applications to sports equipment. This work assessed the effects of hydrogen embrittlement in 18% Ni maraging grade 300 steel in the solution annealed and aged conditions. Samples were solution annealed at 1093 ±10K for 3.6 ks, followed by air cooling and aging at 753 and 843 ±10K for 10.8 ks, respectively, and cooled by air. The microstructure was characterized by X-ray diffraction, eddy current, hardness measurement and optical and electron microscopy. To assess the effects of hydrogen ingress on the mechanical properties of 18% Ni maraging grade 300 steel, slow strain rate tests (SSRT) were performed. A strain rate of 1.0x10-6 s-1 was applied. The tests were carried out in air (middle inert) and the samples immersed in the electrolyte at a simultaneous potential of -1.2 VSEC. The results showed the reduction elongation from 11.06 to 3.89% and from 61,28 to 10% in reduction of area for samples in the solution annealed condition. The greatest reductions were observed in the samples aged at 753 ±10K for 10.8 ks. In this condition the reduction from 1929.26 MPa in air tests to 447.64 MPa in ultimate tensile strength and from 7.30 to 1.62% in elongation under cathodic polarization in the 3,5% NaCl solution was observed. The samples aged at 843 ±10K for 10.8 ks, where about 10% of reverted austenite was identified, showed evidence of hydrogen embrittlement as seen in the samples treated at different conditions. Secondary cracks, perpendicular to the loading direction at the longitudinal surface of the solution annealed fractured samples immersed in 3,5% NaCl solution under cathodic potential were seen. The results evidence that the precipitates and reverted austenite difficult secondary crack propagation in longitudinal section on aged samples. Scanning electron examination showed a change in fractografic features from ductile dimples to quasi-cleavage and microvoid modes when comparing samples without (air tested) and with hydrogen ingress.