| Abstract Scope |
Liquid metal embrittlement (LME) is a barrier to a greener and safer automotive industry. Advanced high-strength steels (AHSS), expected to replace 60% of conventional high-strength steels, can offer enhanced safety, reduced material consumption, and better fuel efficiency. However, AHSS are highly susceptible to LME. This phenomenon occurs when embrittling liquid metals like Zn, Sn, and Hg, under tensile stress and elevated temperatures, penetrate susceptible substrates such as Fe, Al, and Ni through grain boundaries, causing intergranular micro-cracking. Although the mechanisms of LME are contradictory, the role of grain boundaries is consistently highlighted. Research shows that LME cracks propagate through high-angle grain boundaries due to their high energy. Our study, through microscopic and chemical analysis of fracture surfaces from Gleeble hot tensile tests at 800 °C of Zn-galvanized TWIP steel, reveals grain parameters beyond misorientation angle that influence Zn penetration in LME. |