Micro-mechanical investigation for effects of helium on grain boundary fracture of austenitic stainless steel

Effects of helium (He) on grain boundary (GB) fracture of austenitic stainless steel were investigated by micro-tensile tests. Micro-bicrystal tensile specimens were fabricated for non-coincidence site lattice boundaries of He ion-irradiated 316 stainless steel by focused ion beam (FIB) micro-processing. Micro-tensile tests were conducted in a vacuum at room temperature in the FIB system. Specimens containing more than 2 at.% He fractured at GBs. The criteria for brittle fracture occurrence on GBs were: (1) He concentrations higher than 2 at.%; (2) formation of He bubbles on the GBs with less than a 5 nm spacing; and (3) matrix hardening to more than 4.6 GPa (nano-indentation hardness). The fracture stress of GB brittle fracture was lower for a specimen with higher He concentration while the size and areal density of the GB He bubbles were the same. The specimens that contained 10 at.% He and had been annealed at 923 K after irradiation fractured at the GB nominally in a brittle manner; however the inter-bubble matrix at the GB experienced ductile fracture. The annealing caused He bubbles to grow but decreased the areal density so that the spacing of the GB He bubbles widened and the hardness decreased, therefore the fracture mode changed from brittle to ductile. The findings revealed that He promotes GB fracture by weakening the GB strength and hardening the matrix due to the formation of He bubbles both on GBs and in the matrix. In addition, the findings suggested that GB segregated He atoms may have a role in GB fracture.