The permeation of H through Fe and steel specimens was measured as a function of compressive and tensile stress. The technique used involved the deposition of H from aqueous solution onto one side of a membrane, and its electrochemical ionization on the other side (protected from corrosion by a thin Pd coating). The membrane was designed so that the application of a compressive stress imposed a uniform stress on the area within which permeation was measured. It was found that a tensile stress increased the permeability, while a compressive stress decreased it. The diffusion coefficient was unaffected by the applied elastic stress.

J.O.Bockris, W.Beck, M.A.Genshaw, P.K.Subramanyan, F.S.Williams: Acta Metallurica, 1971, 19[11], 1209-18