Hydrogen trapping and desorption in TiVCrAl alloy fabricated by conventional and additive manufacturing

The hydrogen evolution and trapping capacity of TiVCrAl β -titanium alloy microstructures fabricated via conventional forming processes and additive manufacturing (AM), were investigated through microstructural characterization, differential scanning calorimetry, thermal desorption spectroscopy, and computational modeling. The results revealed that grain boundaries, dislocations, and ω nanoparticles act as the primary hydrogen-trapping sites. Furthermore, post-heat-treatment AM enables the direct formation of refined microstructures with elemental segregation, delivering superior low-temperature hydrogen desorption performance and establishing AM as a transformative alternative to conventional processing. • 3D printing enhances hydrogen desorption over conventional processing routes. • Key microstructural features govern hydrogen desorption effectiveness. • TiVCrAl alloy shows efficient hydrogen desorption under moderate conditions.