A Review of Current State and Prospects of the Bendability and Hydrogen Embrittlement Behavior of Press- Hardening Automobile Steels
Received date: 2025-09-14
Revised date: 2025-12-18
Online published: 2025-12-25
Supported by
National Natural Science Foundation of China(52130102);National Natural Science Foundation of China(52425105);National Key Research and Development Program of China(2019YFA0209900);Research Grants Council of Hong Kong(C7045-19E);Research Grants Council of Hong Kong(R7066-18);Innovation and Technology Fund(MHP/064/20);New Cornerstone Science Foundation through the XPLORER PRIZE
Press-hardening steel offers numerous advantages, such as exceptional strength, excellent formability, and the ability to produce complex geometries, making it an essential material for lightweight, high-performance structures in new-energy vehicles. Press-hardening steel is widely used in manufacturing safety components for vehicles. With the escalating demand for lightweight components in the automotive industry, press-hardening steel is evolving toward enhanced strength, ductility, and fracture toughness. However, alongside technological advancements, the challenges faced by press-hardening steel in terms of low bending toughness and hydrogen embrittlement are becoming increasingly severe. This review summarizes the current state and future prospects of press-hardening steel from three key perspectives. Firstly, it describes the press-hardening process and the development of advanced materials with enhanced strength and toughness. Secondly, it reviews recent research on toughening commercial press-hardening steels, examining the interplay between surficial steel coatings and cold-bending-angle standards, addressing the structural limitations of current products, and highlighting future advancements in coatings. Lastly, the paper summarizes the latest research on hydrogen embrittlement in press-hardening steel, starting with the underlying mechanisms of hydrogen-induced damage, while considering factors such as the internal microstructure and surface coating conditions of the steel. The paper concludes by outlining research directions for developing higher-strength press-hardening steels with improved resistance to hydrogen embrittlement.
Key words： press-hardening steel; coating; bendability; hydrogen embrittlement
DU Dehao , GUAN Ming , CAO Zuoheng , WANG Ming , HE Binbin , HUANG Mingxin . A Review of Current State and Prospects of the Bendability and Hydrogen Embrittlement Behavior of Press- Hardening Automobile Steels[J]. Acta Metall Sin, 2026 , 62(5) : 959 -974 . DOI: 10.11900/0412.1961.2025.00272
| [1] | Li J, Lu H Z, Yi H L, et al. Lightweight of Passenger Car and Niobium-Microalloying Steel [M]. Beijing: Beijing Institute of Technology Press, 2015: 3 |
| 李 军, 路洪洲, 易红亮 等. 乘用车轻量化及微合金化钢板的应用 [M]. 北京: 北京理工大学出版社, 2015: 3 | |
| [2] | Taylor T, Clough A. Critical review of automotive hot-stamped sheet steel from an industrial perspective [J]. Mater. Sci. Technol., 2018, 34: 809 |
| [3] | Wang Z, Xu N A, Huang M X. Phase transformation and carbon profile at the interface between Al-Si coating and steel substrate in a press-hardened steel [J]. Materialia, 2021, 20: 101268 |
| [4] | Zhang Y Q, Zhang X, Sheng G, et al. Effect of ultra-fine martensite and retained austenite induced by slow quenching on the mechanical properties of 9Cr1.5Mo1Co(FB2) steel [J]. Mater. Charact., 2021, 181: 111452 |
| [5] | Gui Z X, Wang K, Zhang Y S, et al. Cracking and interfacial debonding of the Al-Si coating in hot stamping of pre-coated boron steel [J]. Appl. Surf. Sci., 2014, 316: 595 |
| [6] | Zhang J, Jiang S M, Zhang Q F, et al. Effect of temperature on microstructure and formability of Al-10 mass% Si coatings [J]. J. Iron Steel Res. Int., 2016, 23: 270 |
| [7] | Yuan X H, Zhang Q F. Microstructure evolution of hot-dip Al-10%Si coating during the austenitization of 22MnB5 hot stamping steel [J]. Acta Metall. Sin., 2017, 53: 1495 |
| 袁训华, 张启富. 22MnB5热成形钢奥氏体化时热镀Al-10%Si镀层组织的演化 [J]. 金属学报, 2017, 53: 1495 | |
| [8] | Jo K R, Cho L, Sulistiyo D H, et al. Effects of Al-Si coating and Zn coating on the hydrogen uptake and embrittlement of ultra-high strength press-hardened steel [J]. Surf. Coat. Technol., 2019, 374: 1108 |
| [9] | Lee C W, Fan D W, Sohn I R, et al. Liquid-metal-induced embrittlement of Zn-coated hot stamping steel [J]. Metall. Mater. Trans., 2012, 43A: 5122 |
| [10] | Maki T, Tsuzaki K, Tamura I. The morphology of microstructure composed of lath martensites in steels [J]. Trans. Iron Steel Inst. Jpn., 1980, 20: 207 |
| [11] | Rana R, Singh S B. Automotive Steels: Design, Metallurgy, Processing and Applications [M]. Cambridge: Woodhead Publishing, 2016: 1 |
| [12] | Yoo J, Jo M C, Bian J, et al. Effects of Nb or (Nb + Mo) alloying on charpy impact, bending, and delayed fracture properties in 1.9-GPa-grade press hardening steels [J]. Mater. Charact., 2021, 176: 111133 |
| [13] | Chang Z Y, Li Y J, Wu D. Enhanced ductility and toughness in 2000 MPa grade press hardening steels by auto-tempering [J]. Mater. Sci. Eng., 2020, A784: 139342 |
| [14] | Cheng Z, Wang S Z, Liu J Y, et al. Precipitation behaviour and strengthening mechanisms of V-bearing 1800?MPa grade hot-stamping steel [J]. Mater. Sci. Technol., 2023, 39: 1592 |
| [15] | Lin L, Li B S, Zhu G M, et al. Effect of niobium precipitation behavior on microstructure and hydrogen induced cracking of press hardening steel 22MnB5 [J]. Mater. Sci. Eng., 2018, A721: 38 |
| [16] | Yi H L, Chang Z Y, Cai H L, et al. Strength, ductility and fracture strain of press-hardening steels [J]. Acta Metall. Sin., 2020, 56: 429 |
| 易红亮, 常智渊, 才贺龙 等. 热冲压成形钢的强度与塑性及断裂应变 [J]. 金属学报, 2020, 56: 429 | |
| [17] | Wei X L, Chai Z S, Lu Q, et al. Cr-alloyed novel press-hardening steel with superior combination of strength and ductility [J]. Mater. Sci. Eng., 2021, A819: 141461 |
| [18] | Hou Z R, Min J Y, Wang J F, et al. Effect of rapid heating on microstructure and tensile properties of a novel coating-free oxidation-resistant press-hardening steel [J]. JOM, 2021, 73: 3195 |
| [19] | Xie Z D, Ding C C, Wen P Y, et al. Effect of flash heating on microstructure and mechanical properties of 2000 MPa hot stamping steel [J]. Acta Metall. Sin., 2024, 60: 1667 |
| 谢泽东, 丁灿灿, 温鹏宇 等. 闪速加热对2000 MPa级热成形钢显微组织和力学性能的影响 [J]. 金属学报, 2024, 60: 1667 | |
| [20] | Lu Q, Lai Q Q, Chai Z S, et al. Revolutionizing car body manufacturing using a unified steel metallurgy concept [J]. Sci. Adv., 2021, 7: eabk0176 |
| [21] | Liu H P, Lu X W, Jin X J, et al. Enhanced mechanical properties of a hot stamped advanced high-strength steel treated by quenching and partitioning process [J]. Scr. Mater., 2011, 64: 749 |
| [22] | Cai H L, Chen P, Oh J K, et al. Quenching and flash-partitioning enables austenite stabilization during press-hardening processing [J]. Scr. Mater., 2020, 178: 77 |
| [23] | Ding C C, Hu K H, Chen H, et al. A dual-phase press-hardening steel with improved mechanical properties and superior oxidation resistance [J]. Metall. Mater. Trans., 2022, 53A: 1934 |
| [24] | Wang Z, Cao Z H, Wang J F, et al. Improving the bending toughness of Al-Si coated press-hardened steel by tailoring coating thickness [J]. Scr. Mater., 2021, 192: 19 |
| [25] | Guan M, Wang Y, Liu Y X, et al. Optimizing bendability of alsi-coated 2GPa-grade press-hardened steel by double austenitization [J]. Scr. Mater., 2023, 235: 115640 |
| [26] | Yoo J, Kim S, Jo M C, et al. Effects of Al-Si coating structures on bendability and resistance to hydrogen embrittlement in 1.5-GPa-grade hot-press-forming steel [J]. Acta Mater., 2022, 225: 117561 |
| [27] | Golem L, Cho L, Speer J G, et al. Influence of austenitizing parameters on microstructure and mechanical properties of Al-Si coated press hardened steel [J]. Mater. Des., 2019, 172: 107707 |
| [28] | Bhattacharya D, Cho L, van der Aa E, et al. Transgranular cracking in a liquid Zn embrittled high strength steel [J]. Scr. Mater., 2020, 175: 49 |
| [29] | Billur E. Hot Stamping of Ultra High-Strength Steels: From A Technological and Business Perspective [M]. Cham: Springer, 2019: 1 |
| [30] | Bhattacharya D, Cho L, van der Aa E, et al. Influence of the starting microstructure of an advanced high strength steel on the characteristics of Zn-assisted liquid metal embrittlement [J]. Mater. Sci. Eng., 2021, A804: 140391 |
| [31] | Song M, Kim H, Lee S. Effect of a Zn interlayer on the adhesion strength and corrosion resistance of Zn-Mg coated TRIP steel [J]. ISIJ Int., 2019, 59: 1113 |
| [32] | Cho L, Sulistiyo D H, Seo E J, et al. Hydrogen absorption and embrittlement of ultra-high strength aluminized press hardening steel [J]. Mater. Sci. Eng., 2018, A734: 416 |
| [33] | Shibata A, Yonemura T, Momotani Y, et al. Effects of local stress, strain, and hydrogen content on hydrogen-related fracture behavior in low-carbon martensitic steel [J]. Acta Mater., 2021, 210: 116828 |
| [34] | Geng W T, Wang V, Li J X, et al. Hydrogen trapping in carbon supersaturated α iron and its decohesion effect in martensitic steel [J]. Scr. Mater., 2018, 149: 79 |
| [35] | Venezuela J, Zhou Q J, Liu Q L, et al. Influence of hydrogen on the mechanical and fracture properties of some martensitic advanced high strength steels in simulated service conditions [J]. Corros. Sci., 2016, 111: 602 |
| [36] | Depover T, Verbeken K. The effect of TiC on the hydrogen induced ductility loss and trapping behavior of Fe-C-Ti alloys [J]. Corros. Sci., 2016, 112: 308 |
| [37] | Chen Y S, Lu H Z, Liang J T, et al. Observation of hydrogen trapping at dislocations, grain boundaries, and precipitates [J]. Science, 2020, 367: 171 |
| [38] | Takahashi J, Kawakami K, Kobayashi Y. Origin of hydrogen trapping site in vanadium carbide precipitation strengthening steel [J]. Acta Mater., 2018, 153: 193 |
| [39] | Zheng S Q, Qi Y M, Chen C F, et al. Effect of hydrogen and inclusions on the tensile properties and fracture behaviour of A350LF2 steels after exposure to wet H2S environments [J]. Corros. Sci., 2012, 60: 59 |
| [40] | Fujita S, Murakami Y. A new nonmetallic inclusion rating method by positive use of hydrogen embrittlement phenomenon [J]. Metall. Mater. Trans., 2013, 44A: 303 |
| [41] | Choi W S, De Cooman B C. Characterization of the bendability of press-hardened 22MnB5 steel [J]. Steel Res. Int., 2014, 85: 824 |
| [42] | Li S S, Wen P Y, Li S L, et al. A novel medium-Mn steel with superior mechanical properties and marginal oxidization after press hardening [J]. Acta Mater., 2021, 205: 116567 |
| [43] | Xu X X, Shen X Y, Wang J J, et al. YAP prevents premature senescence of astrocytes and cognitive decline of Alzheimer's disease through regulating CDK6 signaling [J]. Aging Cell, 2021, 20: e13465 |
| [44] | Ngiam Y, Cao Z H, Huang M X. Understanding hydrogen embrittlement in press-hardened steel by coupling phase field and hydrogen diffusion modeling [J]. Mater. Sci. Eng., 2022, A834: 142523 |
| [45] | Cao Z H, Ngiam Y, Huang C P, et al. On the hydrogen embrittlement mechanism of 2 GPa-grade press-hardened steel at various strain rates: Experiments and modeling [J]. J. Mater. Sci. Technol., 2025, 224: 142 |
| [46] | Lin Y C, McCarroll I E, Lin Y T, et al. Hydrogen trapping and desorption of dual precipitates in tempered low-carbon martensitic steel [J]. Acta Mater., 2020, 196: 516 |
| [47] | Cao Z H, Zhang B N, Huang M X. Comparing hydrogen embrittlement behaviors of two press hardening steels: 2 GPa vs. 1.5 GPa grade [J]. J. Mater. Sci. Technol., 2022, 124: 109 |
| [48] | Zhu X, Li W, Hsu T Y, et al. Improved resistance to hydrogen embrittlement in a high-strength steel by quenching-partitioning-tempering treatment [J]. Scr. Mater., 2015, 97: 21 |
| [49] | Bhadeshia H K D H. Prevention of hydrogen embrittlement in steels [J]. ISIJ Int., 2016, 56: 24 |
| [50] | Zhao W H, Liu J, Wang B Y, et al. A phase 1, open-label study of LCAR-B38M, a chimeric antigen receptor T cell therapy directed against B cell maturation antigen, in patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma [J]. J. Hematol. Oncol., 2018, 11: 141 |
| [51] | Cho L, Bradley P E, Lauria D S, et al. Characteristics and mechanisms of hydrogen-induced quasi-cleavage fracture of lath martensitic steel [J]. Acta Mater., 2021, 206: 116635 |
| [52] | Song Y S, Liao Y, Li C W, et al. Effects of reversed austenite on the cryogenic impact toughness of 0Cr16Ni5Mo1 super martensitic stainless steel [J]. Acta Metall. Sin., 2025, 61: 687 |
| 宋逸思, 廖 瑜, 李传维 等. 逆转变奥氏体对0Cr16Ni5Mo1超级马氏体不锈钢低温冲击韧性的影响 [J]. 金属学报, 2025, 61: 687 | |
| [53] | Asari D, Mizokami S, Fukahori M, et al. Microscopic defects formed during crack incubation, initiation and propagation processes causing hydrogen-related fracture of dual-phase steels [J]. Mater. Sci. Eng., 2020, A780: 139209 |
| [54] | Wang Z, Huang M X. Optimising the strength-ductility-toughness combination in ultra-high strength quenching and partitioning steels by tailoring martensite matrix and retained austenite [J]. Int. J. Plast., 2020, 134: 102851 |
| [55] | Sun B H, Wang D, Lu X, et al. Current challenges and opportunities toward understanding hydrogen embrittlement mechanisms in advanced high-strength steels: A review [J]. Acta Metall. Sin. (Engl. Lett.), 2021, 34: 741 |
| [56] | Li Y J, Ponge D, Choi P, et al. Segregation of boron at prior austenite grain boundaries in a quenched martensitic steel studied by atom probe tomography [J]. Scr. Mater., 2015, 96: 13 |
| [57] | Miyamoto G, Goto A, Takayama N, et al. Three-dimensional atom probe analysis of boron segregation at austenite grain boundary in a low carbon steel—Effects of boundary misorientation and quen-ching temperature [J]. Scr. Mater., 2018, 154: 168 |
| [58] | Sun B H, Palanisamy D, Ponge D, et al. Revealing fracture mechanisms of medium manganese steels with and without delta-ferrite [J]. Acta Mater., 2019, 164: 683 |
| [59] | Shi H, Hachet G, Cheng H J, et al. Improving hydrogen embrittlement resistance of martensitic steel via interface B segregation [J]. Int. J. Hydrogen Energy, 2025, 164: 150954 |
| [60] | Hachet G, Wei S L, Tehranchi A, et al. Protection of metal interfaces against hydrogen-assisted cracking [J]. Nat. Commun., 2025, 16: 11032 |
| [61] | Du D H, Zhang Y, Geng Z Y, et al. Improving the hydrogen embrittlement property of 1.8 GPa press-hardened steel by controlling the prior austenite grain size [J]. Metall. Mater. Trans., 2024, 55A: 2940 |
| [62] | Kirchheim R. Changing the interfacial composition of carbide precipitates in metals and its effect on hydrogen trapping [J]. Scr. Mater., 2019, 160: 62 |
| [63] | Shi R J, Ma Y, Wang Z D, et al. Atomic-scale investigation of deep hydrogen trapping in NbC/α-Fe semi-coherent interfaces [J]. Acta Mater., 2020, 200: 686 |
| [64] | Yoo J, Jo M C, Kim D W, et al. Effects of Cu addition on resistance to hydrogen embrittlement in 1 GPa-grade duplex lightweight steels [J]. Acta Mater., 2020, 196: 370 |
| [65] | Wei F G, Tsuzaki K. Hydrogen absorption of incoherent TiC particles in iron from environment at high temperatures [J]. Metall. Mater. Trans., 2004, 35A: 3155 |
| [66] | Hong S G, Kang K B, Park C G. Strain-induced precipitation of NbC in Nb and Nb-Ti microalloyed HSLA steels [J]. Scr. Mater., 2002, 46: 163 |
| [67] | Nagao A, Martin M L, Dadfarnia M, et al. The effect of nanosized (Ti, Mo)C precipitates on hydrogen embrittlement of tempered lath martensitic steel [J]. Acta Mater., 2014, 74: 244 |
| [68] | Yoo J, Jo M C, Jo M C, et al. Effects of Ti alloying on resistance to hydrogen embrittlement in (Nb + Mo)-alloyed ultra-high-strength hot-stamping steels [J]. Mater. Sci. Eng., 2020, A791: 139763 |
| [69] | Zhang B N, Su J, Wang M Q, et al. Atomistic insight into hydrogen trapping at MC/BCC-Fe phase boundaries: The role of local atomic environment [J]. Acta Mater., 2021, 208: 116744 |
| [70] | Jakob S, Sattari M, Sefer B, et al. Characterization of hydrogen traps in a co-precipitation steel investigated by atom probe experiments without cryogenic transfer [J]. Scr. Mater., 2024, 243: 115963 |
| [71] | Wang Z, Lu Q, Cao Z H, et al. Review on hydrogen embrittlement of press-hardened steels for automotive applications [J]. Acta Metall. Sin. (Engl. Lett.), 2023, 36: 1123 |
| [72] | Depover T, Monbaliu O, Wallaert E, et al. Effect of Ti, Mo and Cr based precipitates on the hydrogen trapping and embrittlement of Fe-C-X Q&T alloys [J]. Int. J. Hydrogen Energy, 2015, 40: 16977 |
| [73] | Cho L, Bradley P E, Lauria D S, et al. Effects of hydrogen pressure and prior austenite grain size on the hydrogen embrittlement characteristics of a press-hardened martensitic steel [J]. Int. J. Hydrogen Energy, 2021, 46: 24425 |
| [74] | Garet M, Brass A M, Haut C, et al. Hydrogen trapping on non metallic inclusions in Cr-Mo low alloy steels [J]. Corros. Sci., 1998, 40: 1073 |
| [75] | Laureys A, van den Eeckhout E, Petrov R, et al. Effect of deformation and charging conditions on crack and blister formation during electrochemical hydrogen charging [J]. Acta Mater., 2017, 127: 192 |
| [76] | Peng Z X, Liu J, Huang F, et al. Effect of submicron‐scale MnS inclusions on hydrogen trapping and hic susceptibility of X70 pipeline steels [J]. Steel Res. Int., 2018, 89: 1700566 |
| [77] | Pallaspuro S, Fangnon E, Aravindh S A, et al. Mitigating hydrogen embrittlement via film-like retained austenite in 2 GPa direct-quenched and partitioned martensitic steels [J]. Mater. Sci. Eng., 2024, A908: 146872 |
| [78] | Turk A, Pu S D, Bomba? D, et al. Quantification of hydrogen trapping in multiphase steels: Part II-effect of austenite morphology [J]. Acta Mater., 2020, 197: 253 |
| [79] | Du D H, Guan M, Cao Z H, et al. Alleviating strength-hydrogen embrittlement trade-off in TRIP1180 steel via vanadium carbide reinforced ferrite matrix [J]. Scr. Mater., 2026, 271: 117045 |
| [80] | Wang L, Speer J G. Quenching and partitioning steel heat treatment [J]. Metallogr., Microstruct., Anal., 2013, 2: 268 |
| [81] | Sun B H, Lu W J, Gault B, et al. Chemical heterogeneity enhances hydrogen resistance in high-strength steels [J]. Nat. Mater., 2021, 20: 1629 |
| [82] | Xiong Z P, Jacques P J, Perlade A, et al. Ductile and intergranular brittle fracture in a two-step quenching and partitioning steel [J]. Scr. Mater., 2018, 157: 6 |
| [83] | Deng Y, Barnoush A. Hydrogen embrittlement revealed via novel in situ fracture experiments using notched micro-cantilever specimens [J]. Acta Mater., 2018, 142: 236 |
| [84] | Guan M, Zhang J Y, Wang Z, et al. Mitigating delayed fracture in AlSi-coated 2 GPa press-hardened steel via surface plasticity-induced hydrogen delocalization [J]. Acta Mater., 2025, 301: 121614 |
| [85] | Reumont G, Vogt J B, Iost A, et al. The effects of an Fe-Zn intermetallic-containing coating on the stress corrosion cracking behavior of a hot-dip galvanized steel [J]. Surf. Coat. Technol., 2001, 139: 265 |
/
| 〈 |
|
〉 |
