Hydrogen Sulfide Stress Corrosion Cracking of High Strength Steel Wire

Abstract

High strength (244,000 psi ultimate tensile strength) cold drawn carbon steel wire is susceptible to cracking in hydrogen sulfide solutions at room temperature at stress levels less than 15% of the ultimate strength. Failure occurs with an unusual tendency for cracks to form at 45 degrees to the direction of tensile stress. Time to failure is decreased by cathodic polarization and is increased by anodic polarization. Susceptibility reaches a maximum at near room temperature and decreases at both lower and higher temperature. These facts are consistent with a hydrogen embrittlement mechanism of failure. The buildup of large pressures of molecular hydrogen within hollow steel cylinders exposed to H2S solutions is found to be much greater at the higher temperatures at which cracking susceptibility abates. The latter observation is contrary to the predictions of a mechanism of hydrogen embrittlement based on molecular hydrogen pressure but it is shown to be consistent with those of an internal adsorption mechanism.

The multiple roles of a chemical tribofilm in hydrogen uptake from lubricated rubbing contacts

“…It is very well known that hydrogen sulphide accelerates premature failures by promoting hydrogen embrittlement [38,[48][49][50]. The higher hydrogen atoms surface coverage is plausible in presence of H2S due to the higher corrosion rate and its detrimental role in extending the time for hydrogen atoms recombination on the surface.…”

Brittle Fractures of Prestressed Bridge Steel Exposed to Chloride-Bearing Environments Caused by Corrosion-Generated Hydrogen

“…29 He carried out experiments using cold-drawn wire specimens charged with H in an aqueous solution of hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S) containing 3% NaCl. Specimens were stressed at a constant load and under free corrosion potential.…”

Influence of external tensile stress on corrosion and trench formation of low alloy steel in a low H2S content sour corrosion environment

“…SSC is a type of environmentally assisted cracking phenomenon and proceeds perpendicularly to the loading axis under external load from a steel surface exposed to a sour environment. [1] From previous studies, [2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15] SSC in low alloy steels is regarded as a type of hydrogen embrittlement (HE), and pipeline steels with hardness higher than HRC 22 (equivalent to 550 MPa yield strength) are generally considered to have high SSC susceptibility. [16] Currently, TMCP (thermomechanical-controlled process) low alloy steel that satisfies this hardness constraint is used for the transportation of LP applications.…”

“…Many previous studies on SSC have been based on a NACE TM-01-77 compliant 1-bar H 2 S saturated environment or a high-pressure, high-concentration H 2 S environment. [2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15] As H 2 S is well known to act as a catalyst that promotes penetration of hydrogen into steel, [17][18][19][20][21][22] it is reasonable to conclude that SSC in a saturated H 2 S solution or a high-pressure, high-concentration H 2 S environment is a kind of HE phenomenon. However, actual sour environments include many low-concentration H 2 S partial pressure environments.…”