HYDROGEN EMBRITTLEMENT FAILURE IN STEEL FASTENERS.

摘要

A failure analysis of a fastener product helps identify the failure mechanism as well as contributing factors to the failure. The present failure analysis includes the complete analysis to appease the interested parties including manufacturers, plating houses, heattreaters, distributors and end users. The failure analysis includes the visual examination under stereo-microscope to identify macroscopic features on the fracture surface as well as to characterize any residues that may be present or other contributing factors, like mechanical damage and wear. Micro-scopic features are examined at higher magnifications using a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) typically equipped with an Energy Dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) system.