Hydrogen as an energy carrier.
In the midst of a time characterized by climate change, in which green alternatives are gaining increasing interest with regard to the energy transition, the smallest atom “hydrogen” in particular is favored as one of the largest and most promising energy sources. Visions of integrating the existing natural gas network of steel pipelines for hydrogen transportation, which are characterized by both economic and ecological efficiency, encounter challenging tasks.
One particular challenge is the fact that hydrogen in contact with common types of steel can cause embrittlement and thus premature failure that is difficult to predict. This so-called “hydrogen embrittlement” is an essential safety factor in the run-up to various industrial applications, ranging from the offshore industry and chemical processing to the automotive and energy sectors, and offers and demands enormous research potential.
As a future-oriented and environmentally conscious company, Materials Center Leoben (MCL), in close cooperation with the Chair of Materials Physics at the Montanuniversität Leoben, has developed a new method for investigating hydrogen interactions with the material in contact. This method uses the physical principle of diffraction at large-scale research facilities with high-energy X-rays, which can resolve changes within the atomic structure. Thanks to this method (see Figure 2), the different penetration behavior of hydrogen atoms in various materials can be analyzed.
The microstructure of the material itself is decisive for hydrogen absorption and the associated susceptibility to embrittlement, i.e. the internal structure of the material, consisting of so-called grains & phases, as well as grain and phase boundaries (see Figure 1), and defects. Industrial control variables, such as heat treatments or alloy composition, can specifically change the microstructure, reduce hydrogen absorption and thus increase the safety of the components in a targeted manner.
Impact and effects
This high-resolution characterization method creates the potential to advance the sustainable development of materials with a targeted property profile through the interplay of state-of-the-art research performance and environmental challenges. In cooperation with existing industrial partners, this makes a significant contribution to the promotion of innovative technologies and the creation of resource-saving, sustainable material development.
Project coordination (Story)
Dr. Marina Lukas
Senior Scientist Steel Engineering
Materials Center Leoben Forschung GmbH
T +43 (0) 3842 45922-532
marina.lukas(at)mcl.at
IC-MPPE / COMET-Zentrum
Materials Center Leoben Forschung GmbH
Vordernberger Straße12
8700 Leoben
T +43 (0) 3842 45922-0
mclburo(at)mcl.at
www.mcl.at
Project partners
• Materials Center Leoben Forschung GmbH, Austria
• Montanuniversität Leoben, Austria
• University of Maribor, Slovenia
• Austrian Academy of Sciences, Erich Schmid Institute, Austria