TY - CONF A1 - Sobol, Oded A1 - Röhsler, Andreas A1 - Nolze, Gert A1 - Unger, Wolfgang A1 - Böllinghaus, Thomas T1 - Sputtering derived artefacts in austenitic steel during Time-of-Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry analyses N2 - Among the very few techniques to localize hydrogen (H) at the microscale in steels, Time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) was proven to be a reliable tool. The necessity to detect hydrogen stems from its deleterious effects in metals, that are often used as structural components and to obtain better understanding of the underlying metallurgical mechanisms of hydrogen embrittlement (HE) which are still unclear. Austenitic stainless steels are nowadays commonly used in a wide variety of application, from hydrogen transport and storage facilities to petrochemical and offshore applications where they are exposed to aggressive environments and therefore prone to HE. One of the greater risks in the austenitic class is the embrittlement of the material due to the instability of the γ austenite and its transformation into a brittle α martensitic phase. This transformation takes place due to the local stresses that are induced by the uptake of hydrogen during service. Nonetheless, it was shown that this transformation can occur as an artefact during SIMS analysis itself where Cs-sputtering is necessary not only to remove surface contaminations but mainly to enhance H/D secondary ion yield. In the following contribution we show the influence of different sputtering conditions on AISI 304L austenitic stainless steel in order to distinguish the artefact from the hydrogen induced transformation. The material was charged electrochemically in a deuterium based electrolyte. Deuterium (D) must be in these experiments as a replacement for hydrogen which cannot be used because adsorbed hydrogen superimposes hydrogen originating from charging the sample in the SIMS images. ToF-SIMS analyses were conducted by ToF SIMS IV (IONTOF GmbH, Münster, Germany). The experiments were carried out on deuterium charged and non-charged samples. The structural characterization was carried out by SEM and EBSD examinations before and after charging, both with a Leo Gemeni 1530VP field-emission scanning electron microscope and a Zeiss Supra 40 instrument (Carl Zeiss Microscopy GmbH, Oberkochen, Germany). The results showed that the use of 1keV Cs+ beam induces stacking faults while higher sputter beam energies results in γ→α transformation. T2 - SIMS Europe 2018 CY - Münster, Germany DA - 16.09.2018 KW - Austenitic steel KW - Hydrogen KW - ToF-SIMS KW - Artefact PY - 2018 AN - OPUS4-46701 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Röhsler, Andreas A1 - Sobol, Oded A1 - Nolze, Gert A1 - Böllinghaus, Thomas A1 - Unger, Wolfgang T1 - Analysis of deuterium in austenitic stainless steel AISI 304L by Time-of-Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry N2 - Due to their excellent combination of ductility, strength and corrosive resistance, austenitic stainless steels (ASS) are widely used in many industrial applications. Thus, these steel grades can be found as structural components in the (petro-)chemical industry, in offshore applications and more recent for storage and transport of hydrogen fuel. Steels employed for these applications are exposed to aggressive environments and hydrogen containing media. The ingress and accumulation of hydrogen into the microstructure is commonly observed during service leading to a phenomenon called “hydrogen embrittlement”. A loss in ductility and strength, the formation of cracks and phase transformations are typical features of this hydrogen-induced degradation of mechanical properties. Although, great efforts are made to understanding hydrogen embrittlement, there is an ongoing debate of the underlying mechanisms. This knowledge is crucial for the safe use and durability of components on the one side and the development of new materials on the other. Time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) was proven to be a powerful tool for depicting the distribution of the hydrogen isotope deuterium in the microstructure of austenitic and duplex steels. The combination with imaging techniques such as electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), delivering structural and morphological information, creates a comprehensive picture of the hydrogen/deuterium-induced effects in the materials. All the gathered data is treated with principal component analysis (PCA) and data fusion to enhance the depth of information. The mobility of hydrogen and deuterium in a steel microstructure is affected by external mechanical stress. To investigate the behaviour of deuterium in a strained microstructure, a new in situ experimental approach was developed. This gives the possibility of analysing samples in the SIMS instrument simultaneously to four-point-bending-tests. Specimens made from ASS AISI 304L were electrochemically charged with deuterium instead of hydrogen. This necessity stems from the difficulty to separate between artificially charged hydrogen and hydrogen existing in the pristine material or adsorbed from the rest gas in the analysis chamber. Nonetheless, similar diffusion, permeation and solubility data allow to draw qualitative conclusions from the experiments, which are relevant for the application addressed. T2 - SIMS Europe 2018 CY - Münster, Germany DA - 16.09.2018 KW - Hydrogen KW - Deuterium KW - Austenitic stainless steel KW - SIMS PY - 2018 AN - OPUS4-46029 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Röhsler, Andreas A1 - Sobol, Oded A1 - Nolze, Gert A1 - Unger, Wolfgang A1 - Böllinghaus, Thomas T1 - In-situ observation of the hydrogen behaviour in austenitic stainless steel by time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry during mechanical loading N2 - The reduction of harmful emissions to the environment is one of the most urgent challenges of our time. To achieve this goal, it is inevitable to shift from using fossil fuels to renewable energy sources. Within this transition, hydrogen can play a key role serving as fuel in transportation and as means for energy storage. The storage and transport of hydrogen using austenitic stainless steels as the infrastructure, as well as the use of these grades in hydrogen containing aggressive environments, remains problematic. The degradation of the mechanical properties and the possibility of phase transformation by ingress and accumulation of hydrogen are the main drawbacks. Advanced studies of the behaviour of hydrogen in austenite is necessary to fully understand the occurring damage processes. This knowledge is crucial for the safe use of components in industry and transportation facilities of hydrogen. A powerful tool for depicting the distribution of hydrogen in steels, with high accuracy and resolution, is time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS). We here present a comprehensive research on the hydrogen degradation processes in AISI 304L based on electrochemical charging and subsequent ToF-SIMS experiments. To obtain furthermore information about the structural composition and cracking behaviour, electron-backscattered diffraction (EBSD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were performed afterwards. All the gathered data was treated employing data fusion, thus creating a thorough portrait of hydrogen diffusion and its damaging effects in AISI 304L. Specimens were charged with deuterium instead of hydrogen. This necessity stems from the difficulty to separate between artificially charged hydrogen and traces existing in the material or adsorbed from the rest gas in the analysis chamber. Similar diffusion and permeation behaviour, as well as solubility, allow nonetheless to draw onclusions from the experiments. T2 - International Conference on Metals and Hydrogen; Steely Hydrogen 2018 CY - Ghent, Belgium DA - 29.05.2018 KW - Hydrogen KW - Deuterium KW - ToF-SIMS KW - AISI 304L PY - 2018 AN - OPUS4-45079 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER -