Observation of hydrogen trapping at dislocations, grain boundaries, and precipitates.

Title	Observation of hydrogen trapping at dislocations, grain boundaries, and precipitates.
Authors	Yi-Sheng Chen, Hongzhou Lu, Jiangtao Liang, Alexander Rosenthal, Hongwei Liu, Glenn Sneddon, Ingrid McCarroll, Zhengzhi Zhao, Wei Li, Aimin Guo, Julie M Cairney
Magazine	Science (New York, N.Y.)
Date	01/10/2020
DOI	10.1126/science.aaz0122
Introduction	The challenge of hydrogen embrittlement in high-strength steels presents a significant barrier to their use in sustainable energy production. This phenomenon, involving interactions between hydrogen and defects across various scales, is poorly understood due to difficulties in pinpointing hydrogen atom locations. Although thermal desorption spectroscopy can identify hydrogen trapping, it fails to correlate this data with specific microstructural features. By utilizing cryo-transfer atom probe tomography, we have directly observed hydrogen at carbon-rich dislocations and grain boundaries. Additionally, evidence of hydrogen at the incoherent interface between niobium carbides and steel confirms these boundaries as potential trapping sites. These findings are crucial for developing steels resistant to embrittlement.
Quote	Yi-Sheng Chen, Hongzhou Lu and Jiangtao Liang et al. Observation of hydrogen trapping at dislocations, grain boundaries, and precipitates. Science (New York, N.Y.). 2020. Vol. 367(6474). DOI: 10.1126/science.aaz0122
Element	Hydrogen (H) , Carbon (C) , Niobium (Nb)
Materials	Carbides
Industry	Steel & Alloy Producers , Energy Storage & Batteries