Hydrogen effect on a low carbon ferritic-bainitic pipeline steel

• X65 pipeline steel fracture toughness is in situ hydrogen tested.
• X65 experiences larger reduction of J0 compared to banded ferrite-pearlite X52.
• J0 reduction is also larger compared to banded ferrite-mixed bainite-pearlite X70.
• Low carbon ferrite-bainite detrimental for hydrogen reduction of J0.
• Martensite/austenite constituents also detrimental for hydrogen reduction of J0.

Hydrogen effect on an API 5L X65 low carbon ferritic-bainitic steel is investigated, by evaluating the fracture toughness parameters in air and in hydrogen environment. The hydrogen environment is manifested by in situ hydrogen charging of the X65 steel, using the electrolytic solution NS4, which simulates the electrolyte trapped between the pipeline steel and the coating in a buried pipeline. The fracture toughness results of the X65 are compared to two other pipeline steels with different microstructures, namely an X52 and an X70, possessing a banded ferritic-pearlitic and banded ferritic-mixed bainitic-pearlitic microstructure, respectively. The X65 steel exhibits significant reduction of fracture toughness parameter J0 integral due to hydrogen charging and insignificant variation of fracture toughness parameter KQ. Comparing the three steels, the lowest reduction of J0 integral due to hydrogen charging, is met on the X52 and the highest in the X65.