Hydrogen embrittlement of high-strength steels

Hydrogen embrittlement occurs when atomic hydrogen migrates into the structure during welding. This happens especially with damp electrodes or contaminated material. The hydrogen makes the steel brittle and can lead to cracks after cooling, often only hours later. So you have to make sure that no hydrogen gets into the weld metal. Keep the material dry and clean, store electrodes properly, and dry them if necessary. For critical joints, it helps to keep the weld warm after welding so that the hydrogen can diffuse out.