The Relationship Between Hydrogen Trapping Behavior and SSCC Suceptibility of API X60/65 Grade Steels

It is well known that SSCC (sulfide stress corrosion cracking) is caused by drastic ingression of hydrogen during the service and accumulation of hydrogen near the potential crack initiation site in the material. It is important to characterize the hydrogen trapping behavior to evaluate the service performance of the high strength pipeline steels. In this study. the relationship between the hydrogen trapping behavior and SSCC susceptibility is evaluated in terms of alloy composition, microstructure and carbide behavior. The hydrogen trapping behavior was measured by electrochemical hydrogen permeation test cell (Devanathan cell). The SSCC susceptibility is evaluated by constant extension rate test and constant strain lest method. The hydrogen trapping behavior is affected greatly by microstructure and nature of carbide particles. The fine TiC, and NbC in the matrix of ferritic structure acts as strong irreversible trap sites whereas the bainitic structure acts as reversible trap site. The SSCC susceptibility is closely related to not only the hydrogen trapping behavior but also the loading condition. As the activity of reversible trap site increases, SSCC susceptibility decreases under static loading condition below yield strength, whereas SSCC susceptibility increases under dynamic loading condition or above yield strength. As the activity of irreversible trap site increases. SSCC susceptibility increases regardless of loading condition. It is cased by the mixed effect of dislocation on hydrogen diffusion and trapping behavior.