Integrated Approaches to Hydrogen Embrittlement and Stress Corrosion in Energy Materials

The project focuses on an integrated approach to developing and testing new material solutions to enable the steel pipeline delivery of hydrogen at high pressures. Two potential solutions to mitigate hydrogen embrittlement of steels are the development of barrier coatings and the creation of new alloys with better resistance to hydrogen embrittlement. Hydrogen is an ubiquitous element that enters materials from various sources, often having a deleterious effect on material properties. Our approach integrates mechanical property testing at the microscale, microstructural analyses, transmission electron microscopy observations of deformation processes at the micro- and nanoscale, first-principles calculations of interfacial cohesion at the atomic scale, and finite element modeling and simulation at the micro- and macro-level. Understanding embrittlement in pipelines is critical for hydrogen delivery and infrastructure. The main goal of the proposed program is to minimize embrittlement through coatings, pipe materials, and welding improvements by understanding the failure mechanisms of materials used in pipeline systems and welds exposed to high-pressure gaseous environments. The work plan includes studies to identify coatings with low or minimal hydrogen permeability.

Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU)