Critical Assessment of the Effect of Atmospheric Corrosion Induced Hydrogen on Mechanical Properties of Advanced High Strength Steel

Hydrogen Insertion into Complex-Phase High-Strength Steel during Atmospheric Corrosion at Low Relative Humidity

Atmospheric corrosion is one of the major sources of hydrogen in a high-strength-steel product in service. Even low concentrations of absorbed hydrogen can cause a hydrogen embrittlement-related material degradation. The extent of atmospheric corrosion and thus the related hydrogen entry is highly dependent on the environmental parameters, such as the relative humidity. The present work focused on the hydrogen entry at low relative humidity, where atmospheric corrosion rates are expected to be low. Hydrogen insertion and distribution in CP1000 steel induced by corrosion under dried and rewetted single droplets of aqueous NaCl and MgCl2 solution were studied using the Scanning Kelvin Probe (SKP) and the resulting amounts of diffusible hydrogen were analyzed using thermal desorption mass spectrometry (TDMS). Corrosion product analyses were carried out with SEM/EDX, XRD, and Mössbauer spectroscopy. The results revealed the strong impact of salt type and concentration on the hydrogen entry into steel. The hygroscopic effect of MgCl2 and the formed corrosion products were responsible for the prolonged insertion of hydrogen into the steel even at very low levels of relative humidity.

Microstructural Characteristics and Strengthening Mechanisms of Ferritic–Martensitic Dual-Phase Steels: A Review

Ferritic–martensitic dual-phase (DP) steels are prominent and advanced high-strength steels (AHSS) broadly employed in automotive industries. Hence, extensive study is conducted regarding the relationship between the microstructure and mechanical properties of DP steels due to the high importance of DP steels in these industries. In this respect, this paper was aimed at reviewing the microstructural characteristics and strengthening mechanisms of DP steels. This review article represents that the main microstructural characteristics of DP steels include the ferrite grain size (FGS), martensite volume fraction (MVF), and martensite morphology (MM), which play a key role in the strengthening mechanisms and mechanical properties. In other words, these can act as strengthening factors, which were separately considered in this paper. Thus, the properties of DP steels are intensely governed by focusing on these characteristics (i.e., FGS, MVF, and MM). This review article addressed the improvement techniques of strengthening mechanisms and the effects of hardening factors on mechanical properties. The relevant techniques were also made up of several processing routes, e.g., thermal cycling, cold rolling, hot rolling, etc., that could make a great strength–ductility balance. Lastly, this review paper could provide substantial assistance to researchers and automotive engineers for DP steel manufacturing with excellent properties. Hence, researchers and automotive engineers are also able to design automobiles using DP steels that possess the lowest fuel consumption and prevent accidents that result from premature mechanical failures.