  High strength steels are susceptible to H-induced failure, which is typically
caused by the presence of diffusible H in the microstructure. The diffusivity
of H in austenitic steels with fcc crystal structure is slow. The austenitic
steels are hence preferred for applications in the hydrogen-containing
atmospheres. However, the fcc structure of austenitic steels is often
stabilized by the addition of Ni, Mn or N, which are relatively expensive
alloying elements to use. Austenite can kinetically also be stabilized by using
C. Here, we present an approach applied to a commercial cold work tool steel,
where we use C to fully stabilize the fcc phase. This results in a
microstructure consisting of only austenite and an M7C3 carbide. An exposure to
H by cathodic hydrogen charging exhibited no significant influence on the
strength and ductility of the C stabilized austenitic steel. While this
material is only a prototype based on an existing alloy of different purpose,
it shows the potential for low-cost H-resistant steels based on C stabilized
austenite.
