A model has been developed which simulates the deformation of single crystal austenitic stainless steels and captures the effects of hydrogen on stress corrosion cracking. The model is based on the crystal plasticity theory which relates critical resolved shear stress to plastic strain and the strength of the crystal. We propose an analytical representation of hydrogen interactions with the material microstructure during deformation and simulate the effects hydrogen will have on void growth prior to fracture. Changes in the mechanical properties of the crystal prior to fracture are governed by the interaction of hydrogen atoms and ensembles of dislocations as the crystal plastically deforms and is based on the hydrogen enhanced localised plasticity (HELP) mechanism. The effects of hydrogen on void growth are considered by analysing the effect of hydrogen on the mechanical property of material bounding an embedded void. The model presented has been implemented numerically using the User Material (UMAT) subroutine in the finite element software (ABAQUS) and has been validated by comparing simulated results with experimental data. Influencing parameters have been varied to understand their effect and test sensitivities.

The effects of retrogression and re-aging (RRA) treatment on intergranular corrosion (IGC), exfoliation corrosion (EXCO), stress corrosion cracking (SCC) behavior and microstructure of spray formed Al-7075 were investigated by a scanning electron microscope, a transmission electron microscope, slow strain rate test, and EXCO and IGC test. The results show that the precipitates are redissolved in the matrix of the alloy after retrogression at 200 °C for a suitable time (8 min), and the grain boundary precipitates are discrete and the obvious precipitate free zones are left at the grain boundaries. After RRA with suitable retrogressed time, thin homogeneous dispersive precipitates are separated out again in the matrix. After retrogression at 200 °C for 8 min and re-aging, the ultimate tensile strength, elongation, IGC depth, EXCO rating, and SCC index of spray formed Al-7075 are 791 MPa, 8.5%, 29.8 μm, EA, and 0.155, respectively.

High performance die castings are urgently expected to be used as structural components subjected to dynamic loading. Therefore, tensile properties, fatigue, and corrosion-fatigue behavior of automotive die cast AlMg5Si2Mn alloy are studied in the current work. The results indicate that the tensile strength and yield strength of the as-cast specimens are obviously lower than those of the age-treated specimens, while the elongation decreases with increasing aging time. Neutral corrosive environment (3.5% NaCl solution) dramatically decreases the fatigue limits from 75 to 50 MPa. Fatigue lives of the directly corroded and precorroded specimens are close to each other. The values of material constants m and C are in the range of 5.756–5.874 and 2.421 × 10−10 to 4.285 × 10−9, respectively. Obscure fatigue striations and featureless facets are observed in crack propagation regions. Anodic dissolution is dominantly responsible for the premature crack initiation and stress corrosion cracking leading to the formation of fractured α-Al matrix.

X-ray diffraction contrast tomography is a non-destructive technique for the 3D characterisation of polycrystalline microstructures containing up to a few 1000 grains. The sample is illuminated with a monochromatic beam of high energy synchrotron radiation. As the sample is rotated, and as grains pass through alignments for Bragg diffraction, diffraction spots are recorded on a 2D detector placed close behind the sample. The diffraction geometry is used to assign spots to the grains from which they arise, and to determine the crystallographic orientations of grains. The spots are used as projections of the grains to reconstruct the grain shapes. The technique has been applied to several materials science investigations in stainless steels, including the 3D characterisation of grain boundary networks, and in-situ studies of intergranular stress corrosion cracking.