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Hydrogen Embrittlement mitigation through Layered diffusion patterns in Metals

Project description

Novel solutions for overcoming hydrogen embrittlement

Hydrogen embrittlement (HE) of metallic materials poses a significant challenge to the adoption of green hydrogen as a clean fuel. The degradation of pipelines and other vessels, coupled with a lack of novel, cost-effective solutions to mitigate HE, complicates this issue. The ERC-funded HELMet project aims to develop an additive manufacturing strategy that effectively uses hydrogen diffusion to mitigate or suppress embrittlement. Researchers will leverage their expertise in computational mechanics, laser powder bed fusion, and hydrogen diffusion simulation to guide their approach, incorporating advanced optimisation and computational processes. Ultimately, they will test and evaluate their solutions through in situ testing in gaseous hydrogen.

Objective

Hydrogen embrittlement (HE) of metallic materials is one of the main challenges for the adoption of green H2 as a clean fuel. Degradation of pipelines and vessels is nowadays avoided by conservative design and material selection, but novel mitigation strategies for hydrogen embrittlement will foster cost-effective technologies.
I envisage an Additive Manufacturing strategy to tune hydrogen diffusion as an effective and novel method to mitigate or even supress HE. The success of this framework requires the reconsideration of modelling and experimental techniques to characterise hydrogen transport and embrittlement in metals. My background on computational mechanics, hydrogen diffusion simulation and Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) will guide the approach whereas the methodology will be enriched by innovative phase tailoring strategies and advanced computational and optimisation procedures.
Tailoring hydrogen diffusion in steels will be accomplished by exploiting the enormous difference in diffusivity between fcc and bcc iron phases. Duplex Stainless Steels (DSS) that combine austenite (fcc) and ferrite (bcc) phases are thus considered as a first option to tune diffusion paths. Additionally, localized nitrogen evaporation to directly control fcc or bcc formation during micro-LPBF of High Nitrogen Steels (HNS) will be achieved by local variation of laser parameters.
The main goal is to protect critical regions and therefore to supress hydrogen-assisted cracking. To produce shielding effects around stress concentrators, bcc/fcc “helmets” will be optimised by coupled modelling frameworks including hydrogen transport and fracture. Trapping and multiphase diffusion will be assessed by novel modelling procedures from thermal desorption and permeation experimental results. Finally, the effectiveness of the optimised tailored helmets will be evaluated by in-situ testing in gaseous H2, paving the way for resistant components to transport and store high-pressure hydrogen.

Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)

Keywords

Programme(s)

Topic(s)

Funding Scheme

HORIZON-ERC - HORIZON ERC Grants

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Call for proposal

(opens in new window) ERC-2024-STG

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Host institution

UNIVERSIDAD DE BURGOS
Net EU contribution
€ 1 499 375,00
Address
HOSPITAL DEL REY
09001 Burgos
Spain
Region
Centro (ES) Castilla y León Burgos
Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
Links
Total cost
€ 1 499 375,00

Beneficiaries (1)