{"id":{"repo_id":"cambridge","oai_identifier":"oai:www.repository.cam.ac.uk:1810/244934"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/cambridge/oai:www.repository.cam.ac.uk:1810/244934","repository":{"repo_id":"cambridge","name":"Cambridge University","base_url":"https://api.repository.cam.ac.uk/server/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"Hydrogen trapping in bearing steels: mechanisms and alloy design","abstract":"Hydrogen embrittlement is a problem that offers challenges both to technology and to the theory of metallurgy. In the presence of a hydrogen rich environment, applications such as rolling bearings display a significant decrease in alloy strength and accelerated failure due to rolling contact fatigue. In spite of these problems being well recognised, there is little understanding as to which mechanisms are present in hydrogen induced bearing failure. The objective of this thesis are twofold. First, a novel alloy combining the excellent hardness of bearing steels, and resistance to hydrogen embrittlement, is proposed. Second, a new technique to identify the nature of hydrogen embrittlement in bearing steels is suggested. The new alloy was a successful result of computer aided alloy design; thermodynamic and kinetic modelling were employed to design a composition and heat treatment combining (1) fine cementite providing a strong and ductile microstructure, and (2) nano-sized vanadium carbide precipitates acting as hydrogen traps. A novel technique is proposed to visualise the migration of hydrogen to indentation-induced cracks. The observations employing this technique strongly suggest that hydrogen enhanced localised plasticity prevails in bearing steels. While proposing a hydrogen tolerant bearing steel grade, and a new technique to visualize hydrogen damage, this thesis is expected to aid in increasing the reliability of bearings operating in hydrogen rich environments.","abstract_html":"Hydrogen embrittlement is a problem that offers challenges both to technology and to the theory of metallurgy. In the presence of a hydrogen rich environment, applications such as rolling bearings display a significant decrease in alloy strength and accelerated failure due to rolling contact fatigue. In spite of these problems being well recognised, there is little understanding as to which mechanisms are present in hydrogen induced bearing failure. The objective of this thesis are twofold. First, a novel alloy combining the excellent hardness of bearing steels, and resistance to hydrogen embrittlement, is proposed. Second, a new technique to identify the nature of hydrogen embrittlement in bearing steels is suggested. The new alloy was a successful result of computer aided alloy design; thermodynamic and kinetic modelling were employed to design a composition and heat treatment combining (1) fine cementite providing a strong and ductile microstructure, and (2) nano-sized vanadium carbide precipitates acting as hydrogen traps. A novel technique is proposed to visualise the migration of hydrogen to indentation-induced cracks. The observations employing this technique strongly suggest that hydrogen enhanced localised plasticity prevails in bearing steels. While proposing a hydrogen tolerant bearing steel grade, and a new technique to visualize hydrogen damage, this thesis is expected to aid in increasing the reliability of bearings operating in hydrogen rich environments.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Szost, Blanka Angelika"],"institution":"University of Cambridge","degree_name":"Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)","degree_level":"Doctoral","degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2013,"date_issued":"2013-02-05","date_published":"2013-02-05","updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:24:11Z","subjects":["hydrogen embrittlement","rolling contact fatigue","bearing steels","thermodynamic modelling","kinetic modelling","thermal desorption","hydrogen diffusion","hydrogen damage"],"languages":["en"],"rights":[],"rights_urls":["https://apollo8-f-pro.lib.cam.ac.uk/bitstreams/a9788840-9d99-4d41-a6d9-88f1efea6eb7/download","https://www.rioxx.net/licenses/all-rights-reserved/"],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://doi.org/10.17863/CAM.14274","outbound_label":"DOI","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.doi"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor.sponsor","label":"Sponsor","values":["This work was supported by SKF Engineering and Research Centre and financed by SKF AB."]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Szost, Blanka Angelika"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2013-02-05"]},{"key":"dc:publisher.institution","label":"Dc Publisher Institution","values":["University of Cambridge"]},{"key":"dc:relation.isreferencedby.uri","label":"Dc Relation Isreferencedby URI","values":["https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/handle/1810/244934"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Thesis"]},{"key":"dc:type.qualificationlevel","label":"Dc Type Qualificationlevel","values":["Doctoral"]},{"key":"dc:type.qualificationname","label":"Dc Type Qualificationname","values":["Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["hydrogen embrittlement","rolling contact fatigue","bearing steels","thermodynamic modelling","kinetic modelling","thermal desorption","hydrogen diffusion","hydrogen damage"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language","label":"Dc Language","values":["en"]},{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["https://apollo8-f-pro.lib.cam.ac.uk/bitstreams/a9788840-9d99-4d41-a6d9-88f1efea6eb7/download","https://www.rioxx.net/licenses/all-rights-reserved/"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.doi","label":"DOI","values":["10.17863/CAM.14274"]},{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["https://apollo8-f-pro.lib.cam.ac.uk/bitstreams/81e151f3-1aa0-4297-9109-fa0cb9f8100e/download"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Hydrogen embrittlement is a problem that offers challenges both to technology and to the theory of metallurgy. 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A novel technique is proposed to visualise the migration of hydrogen to indentation-induced cracks. The observations employing this technique strongly suggest that hydrogen enhanced localised plasticity prevails in bearing steels. 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A novel technique is proposed to visualise the migration of hydrogen to indentation-induced cracks. The observations employing this technique strongly suggest that hydrogen enhanced localised plasticity prevails in bearing steels. 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