The H migration behavior in metastable austenitic stainless steel was investigated by using an ultra-high vacuum gaseous permeation method at 100 to 400C. The permeation parameters for the annealed steels were consistent with those for stable austenitic steels. However, after cold-deformation, the activation energies for diffusion decreased exponentially with increasing α' content and diffusion values increased. The diffusion data were described by:

0% cold-rolling, 0%α':     D (cm2/s) = 4.61 x 10-3 exp[-53.79(kJ/mol)/RT]

21% cold-rolling, 9.3%α':     D (cm2/s) = 5.70 x 10-3 exp[-47.52(kJ/mol)/RT]

34% cold-rolling, 26%α':     D (cm2/s) = 2.74 x 10-3 exp[-41.11(kJ/mol)/RT]

54% cold-rolling, 51%α':     D (cm2/s) = 8.84 x 10-4 exp[-30.53(kJ/mol)/RT]

65% cold-rolling, 55%α':     D (cm2/s) = 8.31 x 10-4 exp[-29.55(kJ/mol)/RT]

X.Sun, J.Xu, Y.Li: Acta Metallurgica, 1989, 37[8], 2171-6