Effect of trace solute hydrogen on the fatigue life of electron beam welded Ti-6Al-4V alloy joints

Abstract This paper describes an experimental hydrogenating treatment on a Ti-6Al-4V fatigue specimen containing an electron beam welding joint. The effect of trace solute hydrogen on the microstructures and fatigue behavior of welded Ti-6Al-4V alloy joints was investigated using an optical microscope, X-ray diffractometer, scanning electron microscope, transmission electron microscope and other methodologies. The results demonstrated that no hydride formed in the hydrogenated weld joint at a hydrogen concentration of less than 0.140 wt%. Internal hydrogen, which was present in the alloy in the form of solid solution atoms, caused lattice distortion in the β phase. The fatigue properties of the Ti-6Al-4V weld joint hydrogenated with trace solute hydrogen decreased significantly. The solute hydrogen led to an increase in the brittleness of the hydrogenated weld joint. The dislocation densities in the secondary α and β phase were higher. Fatigue cracks nucleated at the α/β interfaces. The effect of solute hydrogen accelerated the separation of the persistent slip bands, which decreased the threshold required for fatigue crack growth. Solute hydrogen also accelerated the fatigue crack growth rate. These two factors contributed to the degradation of the fatigue life in the electron beam welded Ti-6Al-4V alloy joints.