Surface Treatment for Mitigation of Hydrogen Absorption and Penetration into AISI 4340 Steel

G. Zheng, University of South Carolina - Columbia
Branko N. Popov, University of South Carolina - Columbia
Ralph E. White, University of South Carolina - Columbia

Abstract

The effectiveness of underpotential deposition of Pb onto a membrane made of AISI 4340 steel on the reduction of the hydrogen evolution reaction on the membrane and the degree of hydrogen ingress into the membrane was determined. In the presence of a monolayer coverage of Pb on the membrane surface, the hydrogen evolution currents were reduced by a factor of two compared with the values obtained on bare steel, and the steady-state hydrogen permeation flux through the steel membranes was reduced by 71%.