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Is hydrogen de-embrittlement required after chrome plating?

Is hydrogen de-embrittlement (degassing) required after chrome plating? If so what should be the temperature?

Narasimman VS
employee - Chennai, India
December 5, 2009

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Hi, VS. High strength steel requires hydrogen de-embrittlement after a pickling or electroplating process. Mild steel does not. It must be done almost immediately at a temperature of about 375 deg. F., but there may be a spec for the parts in question. Please search the site for dozens of threads about hydrogen embrittlement. Good luck.

Regards,

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
December 6, 2009

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Hi Narasimman,

Degassing treatment process depends on the base material strength and hardness before plating.

refer to the below standards:

ISO 9587: Metallic and other inorganic coatings ¨ Pretreatment of iron or steel to reduce the risk of hydrogen embrittlement.
ISO 9588: Metallic and other inorganic coatings ¨ Post-coating treatments of iron or steel to reduce the risk of hydrogen embrittlement

You will get more information.

Kannan Boopathi
- Salem,Tamil Nadu, India
January 8, 2010

Does pickling of steel in HCl acid cause any hydrogen embrittlement the weld in a tube or pipe?

Tom Lamping
sales - Davenport, Iowa
January 15, 2010

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Hi, Tom. Yes, HCl pickling is a hydrogen generating process and can cause hydrogen embrittlement in hardened steel.

Regards,

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
January 18, 2010