Hydrogen bond
Hydrogen bonds can vary in strength from weak (1–2 kJ mol) to strong (161.5 kJ mol in the ion ). Typical enthalpies in vapor include:
Hydrogen embrittlement
As the strength of steels increases, the susceptibility to hydrogen embrittlement increases. In high-strength steels, anything above a hardness of HRC 32 may be susceptible to early hydrogen cracking after plating processes that introduce hydrogen. They may also experience long-term failures anytime from weeks to decades after being placed in service due to accumulation of hydrogen over time from cathodic protection and other sources. Numerous failures have been reported in the hardness range from HRC 32-36 and more above; therefore, parts in this range should be checked during quality control to ensure they are not susceptible.