Dr Francesco Fanicchia & Dr Jeff Rao
Surface Engineering & Precision Centre, Faculty of Engineering & Applied Science, Cranfield University
The use of hydrogen as a fuel has the potential to be one of the most critical answers to reducing global carbon emissions, promising to deliver a clean and sustainable source of power. The Internation Energy Agency’s (IEA) “Net Zero by 2050: A Roadmap for the Global Energy Sector” states that by 2050, the use of hydrogen will extend to several parts of the energy sector and will grow sixfold from today’s levels to meet 10% of total final energy consumption. This will make hydrogen a cornerstone in achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement, which aims to limit global warming to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels.
However, the transition to a fully functional hydrogen economy faces several material challenges, particularly within its production, storage and distribution. The need to store hydrogen at high pressure or cryogenic temperatures to maximise its volumetric energy density makes this even more problematic.
This is where both surface engineering and coating development, in which Cranfield are experts, becomes crucial to overcoming these challenges, enabling the increased efficiency, durability and safety and hydrogen storage systems.
Surface engineering comprises of a range of techniques, such as coatings, surface modifications and heat treatments, all designed to enhance or improve the characteristics of a material’s surface.
For hydrogen storage, the main challenges facing metallic-based materials are degradation due to hydrogen embrittlement, permeation and material properties at cryogenic temperatures.
One way to mitigate these issues is through the use of coatings. So called “Hydrogen Permeation Barrier (HPB)” coatings include ceramic, metallic as well as polymeric systems, all of which have a low diffusivity and/or solubility to hydrogen. Moreover, in the transportation of hydrogen, the use of plasma nitriding onto steel substrates is being explored as promising HPB solution.
In hydrogen generation, the efficiency of fuel cells is limited by corrosion of the graphite or metal plates and here the use of diamond-like carbon (DLC) coatings is being
explored as possible solution. In addition, the performance of fuel cell catalysts is enhanced by surface engineering to increase the surface area and reduce the need of employing platinum or other platinum group metals (PGMs).
How Cranfield University can help those working with hydrogen?
Cranfield University has a wealth of skills and expertise in coatings, surface engineering, testing materials in extreme environments and in hydrogen. As such, we have brought together a range of experts in this constantly evolving field to deliver a focussed 4-day “Hydrogen: fundamentals and materials challenges” course which will run from the 17 – 20 March 2025.
This course will focus on providing delegates with both practical and experimental knowledge on the fundamental material challenges faced by all components in the hydrogen supply chain: production, storage & distribution and use.
Targeted theoretical sessions will tackle in detail aspects of hydrogen transport, embrittlement, permeation, material properties at cryogenic temperatures, oxidation in high levels of water vapour and material challenges in electrolysis and fuel cells.
This course is specifically relevant to, but not limited to, those involved in material selection/design for hydrogen applications wishing to acquire fundamental state-of-the-art knowledge on the subject. Delegates from academia and a broad variety of industries would benefit from the course, including metal suppliers, equipment manufacturers, service providers, aerospace, automotive or more generically transport industries and policymakers.
Cranfield University is an associate partner of the Henry Royce Institute, leading state-of-the-art research in materials and coatings for extreme environments.
We have several facilities at Cranfield within our Materials and Coatings for Extreme Environment Technology Platform that are available, free of charge, to UK students, researchers, academics and small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) through the Royce Access Scheme.
Our aim is to offer a complete package of expertise on coating systems from conceptual design and manufacture to performance evaluation in extreme environments.
The work we do has a multitude of benefits, including reducing inspection times, increasing component life, better selection of materials/coatings and informing designers for improved design. All of these contribute positively to reducing
environmental damage through reduced wastage (increased component life), increasing engine efficiency (burning less fuel) and using more sustainable alloy and coating systems.
If you would like more information, advice, would like to deposit a new coating or test the performance of a material in demanding environments, please get in touch with us at royce@cranfield.ac.uk and a member of the team will come back to you with as soon as we can.
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