Hydrogen Tips

Hydrogen embrittlement is a problem associated with high-strength fasteners.
This can cause the fasteners or parts under stress to fail suddenly without any warning.
I read a lot about this subject and there are many theories about the exact cause.
I would only like to give you a brief overview of the subject.
I am not a scientist or engineer, so can not say I understand the phenomenon.


Hydrogen embrittlment can occur any time atomic hydrogen is absorbed in the fastener and retained.
The most common way this happens is through the process of galvanic.


The hydrogen can be absorbed during the cleaning or descaling process and then is trapped by the plating.
The most common way to relieve the hydrogen is by boiling.
This is thought to relieve the hydrogen trapped inside the part.

It is trapped so it cannot migrate and cause further cracks.
It is believed that the faster the pieces baked after plating of relief that they experience more.

The window seems to be four hours.
If the pieces after the four hours Koch were absorbed hydrogen may have already begun, the cracks.
The baking will not remove cracks already started, the fastener would most likely fail.
As how end users of fasteners can hydrogen be controlled? I would say is the easiest way to avoid plating high-strength fasteners.
There are now many companies offering different chemical and organic coatings.
Many of these coatings provide superior corrosion resistance.


You could also choose to mechanically plate the parts.
Of course, for many of us this is not an option.
Electroplating is very efficient and economical.
We have to think very carefully about how we should drive these products and always be sure that it is responsible for the coating company.
The fasteners must be baked properly within a correct time frame.
Another important process in order to be sure to test the parts when I returned from tackler.
This will hopefully guarantee the parts are safe and ready for use.