Effect of soaking time during intercritical annealing on hydrogen permeability in a third-generation medium-Mn AHSS
摘要
AHSS are widely used in the automotive sector due to their balance of mechanical properties. Medium-Mn steels (4–12 wt%) are notable for activating plasticity mechanisms such as TWIP and TRIP, thereby enhancing energy absorption and stress distribution. However, their behavior in hydrogen-rich environments remains a challenge. This study investigated the correlation between temperature and IA time, and their effects on the microstructural features of 9.23% Mn steel and on hydrogen permeability parameters. The steel was hot-rolled and annealed at 680 °C with soaking times of 10 and 20 min. Hydrogen permeability was measured using a Devanathan-Stachurski double-cell. Main results showed that a soaking time of 20 min promoted a lower γr fraction (17% vol.) and reduced stability, leading to increased hydrogen permeability, whereas a shorter time resulted in a finer, more stable microstructure with 21% vol. γr and lower permeability. Therefore, 680 °C-10 min was the most susceptible condition to embrittlement.
Graphical abstract