Hydrogen uptake, diffusion and solubility in commercial β-titanium alloys

Low weight in combination with high strength and good corrosion resistance make titanium alloys excellent candidates for aerospace applications. Their application under conditions where hydrogen is present, e.g., as a fuel component, is limited though, due to their susceptibility to hydrogen embrittlement. In order to assess the range of practical application conditions for β-titanium alloys in hydrogen bearing environments, it is necessary to study the kinetics and thermodynamics of hydrogen uptake and diffusion in the alloy as well as the effect of hydrogen on the mechanical properties of β-titanium alloys. The experiments reported in this paper have been performed in this framework.