Hydrogen molecules break down at the steel surface into atomic hydrogen that can easily diffuses into the grain boundaries of the steel causing hydrogen embrittlement. The resin polymer can fill the grain boundaries in the lattice and minimizes the adverse impact of hydrogen diffusion. You can perform analytical analysis to estimate the hydrogen content of the polymeric resin. I think this could be a proper risk mitigation strategy for the embrittlement phenomenon.

Hope this helps answer your question.

Professor Yehia Khalil

Yale University

USA

Dear Logan,

Hydrogen diffusion in a metal is a combination of the metal's microstructure, the stability of its phases, and microstructural defects (such as dislocation, intermetallic, second phases and even the grain boundary shape and texture). Since your case includes two kind of materials, a polymer and a steel, the diffusion will be affected and also the hydrogen content.

Generally, hydrogen content can be estimated by a Leco-hydrogen determinator, which burn the material and gives a quantitative results of the hydrogen amount.

If you want to explore the effect of the resin, I suggest deliberately charging your steel with hydrogen and compare it with the same cast-iron not filed with resin also charged with hydrogen.

Please find my work attached to this answer, ,from which you can find additional information on hydrogen measurements.   

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