The effect of hydrogen charging on the mechanical behaviour of α-brass

The influence of hydrogen cathodic charging on the mechanical behaviour of α-brass was studied. The microhardness of the hydrogen charged α-brass surface layers was observed to increase significantly with increasing charging time for a constant value of current density of cathodic charging procedures, or with increasing current density for a constant value of charging time of the same electrolytic procedures. Hydrogen cathodic charging of α-brass was noted to reduce significantly the ductility and slightly the ultimate tensile strength (UTS) of this alloy. This reduction increased with increasing charging time, for a constant value of current density. The increase of charging time was also observed to provide a larger depth of the hydrogen charged surface layers of α-brass specimens.