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Received: June 13, 2017; Revised: June 13, 2017; Accepted: June 23, 2017
Abstract: Development of high strength steel requires proper understanding of hydrogen behavior since the higher the steel strength the greater the susceptibility of hydrogen assisted cracking. This paper provides a brief but broad overview on hydrogen entry and transport behavior of high-strength ferritic steels. First of all, hydrogen absorption, diffusion and trapping mechanism of the steels are briefly introduced. Secondly, several experimental methods for analyzing the physical/chemical nature of hydrogen uptake and transport in the steels are reviewed. Among the methods, electrochemical permeation technique utilized widely for evaluating the hydrogen diffusion and trapping behavior in metals and alloys is mainly discussed. Moreover, a modified permeation technique accommodating the externally applied load and its application to a variety of steels are intensively explored. Indeed, successful utilization of the modified permeation technique equipped with a constant load testing device leads to significant academic progress on the hydrogen assisted cracking (HAC) phenomenon of the steels. In order to show how the external and/or residual stress affects mechanical instability of steel due to hydrogen ingress, the relationship among the microstructure, hydrogen permeation, and HAC susceptibility is briefly introduced.