Hydrogen embrittlement: Difference between revisions

[[List of copper alloys|Copper alloys]] which contain [[oxygen]] can be embrittled if exposed to hot hydrogen. The hydrogen [[diffusion|diffuses]] through the copper and reacts with inclusions of {{chem|link=Copper(I) oxide|Cu|2|O}}, forming 2 metallic Cu atoms and {{H2O}} ([[water]]), which then forms pressurized bubbles at the [[Grain boundary|grain boundaries]]. This process can cause the grains to literally be forced away from each other, and is known as ''steam embrittlement'' (because [[steam]] is directly produced inside the copper [[crystal lattice]], not because exposure of copper to external steam causes the problem).{{Citation needed |date=July 2024}}