Modification of Plastic Strain Localization Induced by Hydrogen Absorption

In order to highlight hydrogen effects on the plasticity, the slip morphology after straining (under tension up to 4% of plastic strain in ambient air) of hydrogenated (at 135 wt.ppm) and non-hydrogenated 316L stainless steel polycrystals was compared. A statistical analysis of both slip band spacings (SBS) and slip band heights (SBH) was performed using atomic force microscopy. Tensile tests were performed at low strain rate, specimens being previously charged at controlled hydrogen concentration. The plastic strain field heterogeneity in polycrystals was taken into account thanks to numerical simulation of crystalline plasticity. On each grain, the calculated plastic shear was correlated with the distribution of SBS and the average number of emerging dislocations per slip band. In comparison with uncharged specimen and for an equivalent cumulated plastic strain, the hydrogenated specimen shows an increase of the slip band spacing (SBS) and of emerging dislocations. This result confirms a plastic localization induced by absorbed hydrogen.