Qualifying materials for H2-safe use

The use of hydrogen as an energy carrier for a more sustainable and environmentally friendly future offers many opportunities. At the same time, however, it poses some technical risks. On the materials side, the main one is hydrogen embrittlement, which must be avoided at all costs when using materials and components that come into contact with hydrogen.

Safety requirements must therefore be reformulated and tested along the process chain of the hydrogen economy. Standards and guidelines point the way. Since these are currently still being adapted (IWT is actively participating in this), decisions can be made on a case-by-case basis. Nevertheless, uncertainties arise for market participants.

Competence

The IWT-Solutions AG team is already your contact for all questions (material qualification, fracture mechanics, analytics and failure analysis) on the subject of H2-Ready.

Building on our core competencies in brittle fracture safety, service life determination and material qualification, we are well prepared for the qualification and selection of the appropriate material for any application in the hydrogen economy.

Our expertise is flanked by our participation in national and European standardisation activities in which we actively influence existing and upcoming standards.

Service

Our services in the context of hydrogen range from material qualification to fracture mechanics testing and the determination of material characteristics under the influence of hydrogen to damage analysis and fracture mechanics calculations of toughness requirements and brittle fracture safety. In doing so, we draw on previously recognised standards and our own developments and also discuss the results with recognised certifiers, if this is necessary and desired.