This book is the first comprehensive treatment of
hydrogen embrittlement of metallic materials, mainly of steels. The subject is
increasingly important with regard to recent requirements for hydrogen energy
equipment. Recent progress in revealing the nature of hydrogen embrittlement is
remarkable, and this book provides students and researchers engaging in
hydrogen problems with a comprehensive view of hydrogen embrittlement covering
basic behaviors of hydrogen in materials and their various manifestations in degradation of mechanical
properties. Previous studies are critically reviewed and recent advances
including new ideas on the mechanism of embrittlement are presented. Emphases
are put on experimental facts, but their meanings rather than phenomenological
appearance are given particular attention. Experiments are noted on adopted
conditions since the operating mechanism of hydrogen might differ by materials
and environments. For theories, assumptions and premises employedare noted so
as to examine their versatility. Because of the interdisciplinary nature of the
subject, brief descriptions of fundamental ideas are presented when necessary.