Dear Colleagues,

Hydrogen-induced cracking, also called hydrogen embrittlement, is a term that refers to a compromise in the tensile strength of metals or alloys due to an infiltration of hydrogen. In short, hydrogen molecules/atoms occupying the metal react in a way that renders the material brittle and prone to cracking. Obviously, hydrogen embrittlement presents significant problems in terms of being able to rely on the structural integrity of bridges, skyscrapers, airplanes, ships, etc. In fact, this natural phenomenon leads to a condition known as catastrophic fracture failure and is the direct cause of many mechanical disasters that have taken place on land, as well as in the air and sea. As in recent years, the strength of structural materials increases dramatically. Hydrogen embrittlement attracts more and more attention. Hydrogen embrittlement has been considered to limit the safe use of high-strength steels. There are several concepts to explain how hydrogen leads to the failure of steels and alloys. However, the loss of ductility due to hydrogen remains a serious problem for the design and fabrication of high-strength steels. For some steels, their well-balanced strength and ductility are achieved by a transformation-induced plasticity effect (TRIP). Hydrogen can move due to the transformation process, resulting in localized hydrogen-rich areas. If there are “traps”, hydrogen losses its mobility. As a result, crack initiation due to hydrogen can be inhibited.

The aim of this Special Issue is to understand the latest development of hydrogen embrittlement. Recently, there have been some advanced techniques to observe the interaction between hydrogen and metal microstructures in a more detailed manner. This Special Issue will focus on the study of hydrogen embrittlement via advanced techniques, machine learning methods, etc. for advanced alloys and high-strength steels.

Prof. Dr. Lijie Qiao
Prof. Dr. Yu Yan
Guest Editors

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• stress corrosion cracking
• fracture
• hydrogen embrittlement
• nanoindentation