Li Zhi, Lu Yiran, Gao Huajian, Kumar Sharvan
School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, College of Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798, Singapore.
School of Engineering, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2025 Jun 17;122(24):e2501850122. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2501850122. Epub 2025 Jun 13.
Hydrogen embrittlement (HE) remains a critical scientific challenge in building reliable infrastructure for a carbon-free hydrogen economy. Predictive models for hydrogen-induced material failure are still lacking, largely due to an incomplete understanding of hydrogen's effects on deformation behavior, especially in multiphase alloys with complex compositions and microstructures. Here, we demonstrate a synergistic hydrogen embrittlement (SHE) phenomenon in high-strength martensitic steels, where hydrogen interacts with carbon in solution to activate hydrogen-enhanced localized plasticity (HELP). Microcantilever bending tests revealed greater hydrogen susceptibility with higher carbon content, evidenced by a significant reduction in work-hardening capacity, promoting slip localization and reduced ductility. First-principles calculations and theoretical modeling revealed that carbon intensifies hydrogen-dislocation interactions and amplifies hydrogen redistribution around screw dislocations, inhibiting cross-slip. This work integrates experimental and modeling approaches to elucidate the synergistic interactions between hydrogen and solute elements, providing critical insights for designing high-strength, hydrogen-tolerant structural materials.
氢脆（HE）仍然是为无碳氢经济构建可靠基础设施过程中的一项关键科学挑战。氢致材料失效的预测模型仍然匮乏，这主要是由于对氢对变形行为的影响理解不全面，尤其是在具有复杂成分和微观结构的多相合金中。在此，我们展示了高强度马氏体钢中的协同氢脆（SHE）现象，其中氢与固溶碳相互作用以激活氢增强局部塑性（HELP）。微悬臂梁弯曲试验表明，碳含量越高，氢敏感性越强，加工硬化能力显著降低、促进滑移局部化以及延展性降低都证明了这一点。第一性原理计算和理论建模表明，碳强化了氢 - 位错相互作用，并放大了螺旋位错周围的氢再分布，抑制了交滑移。这项工作整合了实验和建模方法，以阐明氢与溶质元素之间的协同相互作用，为设计高强度、耐氢结构材料提供了关键见解。
