Effect of hydrogen on the mechanical properties of titanium and its alloys

Occluded hydrogen resulting from cathodic charging of commercially pure titanium and titanium alloys, Ti-8Al-1Mo-1V and Ti-6Al-4V, was shown to cause embrittlement of the alloys. Embrittlement was a function of the interstitial hydrogen content rather than the amount of precipitated titanium hydride. The effects of hydrogen concentration on the critical strain for plastic instability along pure shear directions was determined for alloys Ti-8Al-1Mo-1V and Ti-5Al-2.5Sn. Hydrogen, in concentrations below that necessary for spontaneous hydride precipitation, increased the strain necessary for instability formation or instability failure. The strain rate sensitivity also increased with increasing hydrogen concentration. The effect of hydrogen on slip and twinning was determined for titanium single crystals. The critical resolved shear stress for prism slip was increased and the critical resolved shear stress for twinning was decreased with increasing hydrogen concentration.