Internal hydrogen embrittlement of high-strength beta-alpha titanium alloys

Potential problems and uncertainties are associated with the complex nature of fracture in solution treated and aged (STA) beta-titanium (beta-Ti) alloys, as well as the potential for long-term alloy degradation due to hydrogen embrittlement. This research characterizes the effects of predissolved hydrogen and microstructural conditions on the fracture resistance of two solution treated and aged (STA) high strength beta-titanium alloys, Low Cost Beta (LCB) and Ti-15-3, in sheet form.; Rising-CMOD fracture test results demonstrate that STA beta-Ti alloys are severely embrittled at room temperature and a slow displacement rate above a relatively low threshold hydrogen concentration. Hydrogen concentrations of 400 and 500 wppm reduce the threshold stress intensity at the onset of hydrogen cracking to 50% of the air fracture toughness in STA LCB, and Ti-15-3, respectively. Significant embrittlement for both alloys is triggered at concentrations in excess of 750 wppm, with reductions in threshold stress intensity to an asymptotic value equal to 25% of the air fracture toughness. Reductions in crack growth resistance with increasing hydrogen concentrations are accompanied by significant increases in subcritical crack growth rates.; Changes in fracture mode are concurrent with reduced in fracture resistance. With increasing hydrogen concentration, the fracture mode changes from microvoid coalescence to transgranular hydrogen-assisted alpha/beta interface cracking. Two mechanisms of internal hydrogen embrittlement in STA metastable beta-Ti alloys, bond decohesion and hydride formation are proposed to occur at alpha/beta interfaces. A critical isothermal aging time must be exceeded to render Ti-15-3 susceptible to internal hydrogen embrittlement. This is attributed to a critical alpha volume fraction and the associated stress and hydrogen concentration.; The internal hydrogen embrittlement of STA Ti-15-3 is a time dependent phenomenon. Experimental results and crack tip strain rate calculations demonstrate that embrittlement will persist in STA Ti-15-3 to loading rates of approximately 0.5 MPa√m/s. As such, hydrogen redistribution to the crack tip is a critical component of internal hydrogen embrittlement. Local transport of hydrogen in intra-alpha beta to susceptible alpha/beta interfaces, and possibly growth kinetics of gamma-TiH2, in the fracture process zone are consistent with the observed kinetics and appear to govern the time dependence.