A new class of carbon stabilized austenitic steels resistant to hydrogen embrittlement

High strength steels are susceptible to H-induced failure, which is typically caused by the presence of diffusible H in the microstructure. The diffusivity of H in austenitic steels with fcc crystal structure is slow. The austenitic steels are hence preferred for applications in the hydrogen-containing atmospheres. However, the fcc structure of austenitic steels is often stabilized by the addition of Ni, Mn or N, which are relatively expensive alloying elements to use. Austenite can kinetically also be stabilized by using C. Here, we present an approach applied to a commercial cold work tool steel, where we use C to fully stabilize the fcc phase. This results in a microstructure consisting of only austenite and an M7C3 carbide. An exposure to H by cathodic hydrogen charging exhibited no significant influence on the strength and ductility of the C stabilized austenitic steel. While this material is only a prototype based on an existing alloy of different purpose, it shows the potential for low-cost H-resistant steels based on C stabilized austenite.