Hydrogen-induced softening in nanocrystalline Ni investigated by nanoindentation

Abstract

The influence of hydrogen on the plastic deformation of nanocrystalline nickel was analysed by recourse to nanoindentation on the uncharged and hydrogen-charged samples. It was revealed that, in nanocrystalline Ni, hydrogen significantly decreases hardness but does not alter the strain rate sensitivity. Through thermal desorption spectroscopy measurement, charged hydrogen was expected to reside in face-centred cubic lattice, grain boundaries (GBs) and vacancies rather than dislocations. The hydrogen-induced softening behaviour is discussed in terms of the possible roles of hydrogen in GB-assisted dislocation flow mechanism.