On corrosion cracking of high-strength steels in neutral media

Methods of mass-spectrometry, thermodesorption, atomic-absorbtion spectrometry were used to assess the dynamics of hydrogen redistribution at interphase boundaries and within phases. It is concluded that primary determining events of interaction between liquid media and metal surface are adsorption and subsequent exothermic chemosorption of solvent molecules at active surface sites. As a result, the redistribution of solvent bonds and the following discharge and hydrogen occlusion with metal are facilitated. The suggested scheme of hydrogen release process takes account of its mechanicochemical activation and topochemical effects that are different at crack tip and over the surface of metal powder.