The hydrogen embrittlement of titanium-based alloys

Titanium-based alloys provide an excellent combination of a high strength/weight ratio and good corrosion behavior, which makes these alloys among the most important advanced materials for a variety of aerospace, marine, industrial, and commercial applications. Although titanium is considered to be reasonably resistant to chemical attack, severe problems can arise when titanium-based alloys come in contact with hydrogen-containing environments, where they can pick up large amounts of hydrogen, especially at elevated temperatures. The severity and the extent of the hydrogen interaction with titanium-based alloys are directly related to the microstructure and composition of the titanium alloys. This paper addresses the hydrogen embrittlement of titanium-based alloys. The hydrogen-titanium interaction is reviewed, including the solubility of hydrogen in alpha and beta phases of titanium and hydride formation. Also, the paper summarizes the detrimental effects of hydrogen in different titanium alloys.