Enhancement of hydrogen solubility in α-iron by coherent precipitates

Hydrogen solubility of some internal nitrided Fe-Ti and Fe-V alloys were studied. The alloys were subjected to internal nitriding by a plasma treatment, and strong lattice distortion was introduced by precipitation of internal nitrides. Hydrogen solubilities of the internal nitrided alloys were measured by an electrochemical method, and it was found that hydrogen solubility of internal nitrided alloys increased more than 10 times larger than non-nitrided materials. The increase in solubility was thought to be attributed to the large lattice distortion and its magnitude was fairly well in proportion to initial concentration of the nitride-forming element (Ti or V). (C) 1999 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.