Embrittlement of Gun Steel by Liquid Lead
Abstract
A study has been made of the fracture behavior of gun steel in liquid lead and inert argon environments at 630 K in monotonic, static and cyclic fatigue test conditions. Smooth and notched specimens tested under the above conditions were severely embrittled by liquid lead and failed by intergranular mode as compared to a ductile mode in argon. Smooth specimens tested monotonically and in static fatigue failed in a catastrophic manner near the yield stress of the steel. The susceptibility to embrittlement of steel specimens in liquid lead tested in cyclic fatigue was the same whether the notch was as machined or had a fatigue precrack at the root of the notch, i.e., embrittlement was independent of the sharpness of the root radii. These and other results are discussed in terms of the prevalent 'reduction in cohesion' mechanism of liquid metal embrittlement proposed by Westwood and Kamdar. The critical conditions and prerequisites for the occurrence of embrittlement of gun steel in liquid lead are also discussed.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 01, 1977
- Accession Number
- ADA054183
Entities
People
- M. H. Kamdar
Organizations
- United States Army Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center