Temperature dependence of fatigue crack growth in low-carbon steel under gaseous hydrogen

In order to elucidate the temperature dependence of hydrogen-assisted fatigue crack growth (HAFCG), the fatigue crack growth (FCG) test was performed on low-carbon steel JISSM490B according to ASTM E647 using compact tension (CT) specimen under 0.7 MPa (≈ 0.1 ksi) hydrogen-gas at room temperature (RT: 298 K (≈ 77 °F)) and 423 K (≈ 302 °F) at stress intensity factor range of ΔK = 30 MPa m^1/2 (≈ 27 ksi in^1/2). Electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) observation was performed on the mid-thick section of CT specimen in order to investigate change in plasticity around the crack wake in gaseous hydrogen environment and how it changes due to temperature elevation. The obtained results showed the higher temperature, the lower intense of HAFCG as reported in our previous article. Plasticity around the crack wake became less in gaseous hydrogen environment, especially tested at 298 K. The propensity of the results obtained at higher temperature (423 K) can be separated into two cases: (i) intense plasticity occurs like tested in air, (ii) crack propagates straighter accompanying less plasticity like tested in gaseous hydrogen environment at 298 K. This implies macroscopic FCG rate is determined by combination of microscopic FCG rate in the case (i) and case (ii).