Which mechanism causes embrittlement in high-strength steel exposed to pressurized hydrogen gas?

💡 Explanation

When high-strength steel is exposed to pressurized hydrogen gas, hydrogen atoms diffuse into the steel and segregate at grain boundaries, reducing the cohesive strength because these atoms weaken interatomic bonds leading to hydrogen-enhanced decohesion. Therefore embrittlement occurs, rather than martensitic transformation, oxidation resistance or precipitation hardening, which depend on entirely different mechanisms and conditions.

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