Experimental and theoretical study of the effect of hydrogen on the creep and long-term strength of VT6 titanium alloy

The effect of the concentration of preliminarily introduced hydrogen on the creep and long-term strength of VT6 (Ti-6Al-4V) titanium alloy is studied experimentally and theoretically at a temperature of 600°C and nominal stresses of 47–217 MPa. Tests show that the presence of hydrogen in the titanium alloy (to 0.3 wt %) increases the time to failure and decreases the steady-state-creep rate and the ultimate strain by several times. A kinetic theory is used to simulate creep up to failure. The specific features of the macroscopic characteristics of creep are studied along with the evolution of the structural state of the alloy.