Important results from the project
The project showed that some surface treatments can effectively reduce hydrogen ingress and uptake in stainless steels. The results point to potential for surface treatments to enable the use of cheaper and stronger steel grades in applications subjected to hydrogen. However, the treatments need to be further developed and optimized for different steel grades and service conditions. The project laid the foundation for a full-scale project with acronym SHIELD, which was developed together with the project HYCOAT.
Expected long term effects
The project is expected to contribute in the long term to a safer and more cost-effective use of stainless steels in hydrogen applications through surface treatments that can reduce hydrogen embrittlement sensitivity. This could enable the use of cheaper and stronger steel, reduce weight and environmental impact, and strengthen the competitiveness of Swedish steel. The results also support the development of fossil-free processes in the transition to a sustainable, climate-neutral society.
Approach and implementation
The project was implemented according to five work packages: WP1 included procurement and manufacturing of the pover in three stainless steel types; WP2 surface treatments and characterization; WP3 performance in contact with hydrogen and WP4 and WP5 focused on analysis, compilation and reporting of results. The project developed according to plan, no external disturbances affected the work and the collaboration between partners worked very well with six coordination meetings.
The project description has been provided by the project members themselves and the text has not been looked at by our editors.
