Abstract
In order to study the behavior of hydrogen embrittlement under anodic and cathodic polarization of austenitic stainless steels, were measured the change in ductility and amount of adsorbed hydrogenin the 18Cr-8Ni and 25Cr-20Ni stainless steels in H2SO4, HCl, NaCl and MgCl2 solutions.
The main results obtained are as follows:
(1) Hydrogen absorption and embrittlement occurs in chloride solution under anodic polarizationbut not in H2SO4 solution.
(2) This hydrogen adsorption was closely connected with the operation of local corrosion cell sassociated with pits on the surface of the steel.
(3) It is significant that the pitting and the associated hydrogen adsorption in these steels play animportant role for stress corrosion cracking. Therefore impressed anodic current can reduce the stresscorrosion cracking time.
