ISIS Neutron and Muon Source Data Journal

Investigation of hydrogen embrittlement in additively manufactured components

Abstract: Hydrogen embrittlement (HE) poses a major threat to the structural integrity of stainless steels, particularly under aggressive service environments. With the growing adoption of additive manufacturing (AM), understanding hydrogen dislocation interactions and their role in deformation and phase transformation is essential for ensuring the reliability of AM components. This project proposes to employ a combined Convolutional Multiple Whole Profile Neutron Diffraction (CMWP-ND) technique to quantify the evolution of dislocation density and martensitic transformation in hydrogen-free and hydrogen-charged duplex and austenitic stainless steels produced by AM and conventional routes. In situ neutron diffraction experiments will be conducted under uniaxial loading at Engin-X, with dislocation structures analysed through CMWP modelling. The results will provide quantitative insight into how hydrogen alters defect generation and phase transformation pathways, enabling validation and refinement of existing hydrogen-embrittlement and martensitic-transformation models. Hydrogen charging will be achieved using a high-pressure autoclave to ensure uniform uptake without microstructural artefacts. The outcomes will advance mechanistic understanding of HE in AM steels and guide the development of more resistant structural alloys.

Principal Investigator: Dr Xingzhong Liang
Local Contact: Dr Tung Lik Lee
Experimenter: Dr Rhys Thomas
Experimenter: Dr Matthew Peel
Experimenter: Mr Kai Cheng
Experimenter: Mr Kai Cheng
Experimenter: Mr Arnav Peehal
Experimenter: Dr Mehdi Mokhtarishirazabad
Experimenter: Mr Yuxuan Zhang
Experimenter: Mr Kai Cheng
Experimenter: Mr Jinyi Li
Experimenter: Mr Alex Bacon

DOI: 10.5286/ISIS.E.RB2610348

ISIS Experiment Number: RB2610348

Publisher: STFC ISIS Neutron and Muon Source

Data format: RAW/Nexus
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Data Citation

The recommended format for citing this dataset in a research publication is as:
[author], [date], [title], [publisher], [doi]

For Example:
Dr Xingzhong Liang et al; (2026): Investigation of hydrogen embrittlement in additively manufactured components, STFC ISIS Neutron and Muon Source, https://doi.org/10.5286/ISIS.E.RB2610348

Data is released under the CC-BY-4.0 license.