SDG7
NCKU Materials Science Pioneers Hydrogen-Resistant Steel, Advancing Hydrogen Vehicle Technology
Hydrogen energy is a clean energy source, but safety concerns remain a major bottleneck in its development. A research team led by Distinguished Professor Fei-Yi Hung from the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) has successfully developed a hydrogen embrittlement-resistant stainless steel, named 416B—also known as "Non-Hydrogen Steel"—which can withstand hydrogen tunneling attacks. Additionally, the team has identified 420L, a weldable material that complements this innovation. These breakthroughs are currently in the patent application process. If adopted by the industry, they could mark a significant milestone in the development of hydrogen energy.
Distinguished Professor Fei-Yi Hung explained that electrolyzing water to produce hydrogen and oxygen as energy sources eliminates pollution and carbon emissions caused by fossil fuels, making hydrogen energy one of the world's cleanest future energy solutions. However, there are still numerous challenges to overcome, with hydrogen embrittlement being a major safety concern. Currently, no country has fully solved this issue.
He pointed out that hydrogen atoms are extremely small, allowing them to penetrate virtually any material. When hydrogen is enclosed within a material, it reacts and causes embrittlement, leading to cracks and fractures—a phenomenon known as hydrogen embrittlement. If storage tanks or pipelines develop cracks due to this process, hydrogen leakage could lead to catastrophic explosions. Similar accidents have occurred worldwide, raising concerns about the safety and viability of hydrogen energy.
With over 20 years of experience in metal research, Distinguished Professor Fei-Yi Hung noted that 309 and 316 stainless steels, widely used for their excellent corrosion resistance in acidic, alkaline, and high-temperature environments, have been adopted in the hydrogen energy industry. However, they are not resistant to hydrogen embrittlement. Furthermore, they suffer from poor strength and wear resistance, making them unsuitable for hydrogen-powered vehicles. In the event of a collision, these materials cannot withstand high-impact forces. Over time, as hydrogen embrittlement progresses, they could develop cracks, leading to potential hydrogen leaks and explosions.
Currently, glass fiber is widely used as a material for hydrogen storage. However, Distinguished Professor Fei-Yi Hung pointed out that glass fiber has significant drawbacks. Its structure resembles barbed hooks, meaning that if inhaled into the lungs, it cannot be expelled and may increase the risk of cancer. This makes it an unsafe material for long-term use. Additionally, glass fiber lacks hardness and is not impact-resistant, further limiting its suitability for hydrogen storage applications.
During his research, he discovered that 416 stainless steel, which is used in the military and industrial sectors, offers several advantages over 309 and 316 stainless steels. Not only does it possess the same resistance to acid and alkali corrosion and rust prevention, but it also has superior strength and hardness. Unlike 309 and 316, which are non-magnetic, 416 stainless steel exhibits good magnetic properties, allowing it to be used in the formation of non-hydrogen electromagnetic steel. Through heat treatment, its original equiaxed grains transform into a tough needle-rod structure, known as 416B, which enhances its resistance to hydrogen penetration. This makes it "almost perfectly applicable to hydrogen energy development." It can be used for hydrogen storage, as well as in various hydrogen-resistant valves and fasteners.
Hydrogen energy equipment pipelines require welding, and he pointed out that welded joints are more susceptible to hydrogen embrittlement. His team has been collaborating with SOREX WELDING CO.,LTD., a welding rod manufacturer in Tainan, for a long time. During the development of non-hydrogen steel, they also discovered that SOREX's welding material, 420, can effectively mitigate hydrogen embrittlement. By undergoing a dehydrogenation process, 420 is transformed into 420L, which successfully prevents hydrogen attack.
To verify the hydrogen resistance of non-hydrogen steel, the team established one of the few laboratories in the country capable of evaluating metal hydrogen embrittlement from scratch. They developed a process called "hydrogen accumulation treatment," in which hydrogen is used to attack specific areas of stainless steel materials over a period that can last for several months. Afterward, a hydrogen embrittlement investigation is conducted. The laboratory is equipped with the nation's only electrically driven high-temperature tensile fatigue testing machine, enabling real-time analysis of metal hydrogen embrittlement. Hong Feiyi stated that due to the high risks associated with hydrogen, setting up a safe laboratory was extremely challenging. The team collaborated with experts in chemical engineering within the university, conducting repeated tests before achieving success.
Through rigorous testing, non-hydrogen steel has been shown to have more than twice the resistance to hydrogen penetration compared to other industrial-grade stainless steels. Additionally, it boasts greater strength and hardness than traditional stainless steel. When applied to hydrogen-powered vehicles, it enhances collision resistance and eliminates concerns about hydrogen embrittlement. In hydrogen fuel transportation pipelines, it significantly improves both transmission efficiency and safety.
Distinguished Professor Fei-Yi Hung stated that, thanks to the dedicated efforts of Dr. Bo-Ding Wu, graduate students Che-Wei Lu and Yu-Jen Huang over the past two years, the laboratory successfully established hydrogen accumulation testing and hydrogen embrittlement fatigue testing. Their work also contributed to the analysis and evaluation of various welds, leading to the development of application data for NCKU’s 416B non-hydrogen steel. Currently, related research papers have been published, and patent applications are in progress. NCKU’s advancements in hydrogen energy technology have set a new benchmark for the application of non-hydrogen steel.
Distinguished Professor Fei-Yi Hung explained that electrolyzing water to produce hydrogen and oxygen as energy sources eliminates pollution and carbon emissions caused by fossil fuels, making hydrogen energy one of the world's cleanest future energy solutions. However, there are still numerous challenges to overcome, with hydrogen embrittlement being a major safety concern. Currently, no country has fully solved this issue.
He pointed out that hydrogen atoms are extremely small, allowing them to penetrate virtually any material. When hydrogen is enclosed within a material, it reacts and causes embrittlement, leading to cracks and fractures—a phenomenon known as hydrogen embrittlement. If storage tanks or pipelines develop cracks due to this process, hydrogen leakage could lead to catastrophic explosions. Similar accidents have occurred worldwide, raising concerns about the safety and viability of hydrogen energy.
With over 20 years of experience in metal research, Distinguished Professor Fei-Yi Hung noted that 309 and 316 stainless steels, widely used for their excellent corrosion resistance in acidic, alkaline, and high-temperature environments, have been adopted in the hydrogen energy industry. However, they are not resistant to hydrogen embrittlement. Furthermore, they suffer from poor strength and wear resistance, making them unsuitable for hydrogen-powered vehicles. In the event of a collision, these materials cannot withstand high-impact forces. Over time, as hydrogen embrittlement progresses, they could develop cracks, leading to potential hydrogen leaks and explosions.
Currently, glass fiber is widely used as a material for hydrogen storage. However, Distinguished Professor Fei-Yi Hung pointed out that glass fiber has significant drawbacks. Its structure resembles barbed hooks, meaning that if inhaled into the lungs, it cannot be expelled and may increase the risk of cancer. This makes it an unsafe material for long-term use. Additionally, glass fiber lacks hardness and is not impact-resistant, further limiting its suitability for hydrogen storage applications.
During his research, he discovered that 416 stainless steel, which is used in the military and industrial sectors, offers several advantages over 309 and 316 stainless steels. Not only does it possess the same resistance to acid and alkali corrosion and rust prevention, but it also has superior strength and hardness. Unlike 309 and 316, which are non-magnetic, 416 stainless steel exhibits good magnetic properties, allowing it to be used in the formation of non-hydrogen electromagnetic steel. Through heat treatment, its original equiaxed grains transform into a tough needle-rod structure, known as 416B, which enhances its resistance to hydrogen penetration. This makes it "almost perfectly applicable to hydrogen energy development." It can be used for hydrogen storage, as well as in various hydrogen-resistant valves and fasteners.
Hydrogen energy equipment pipelines require welding, and he pointed out that welded joints are more susceptible to hydrogen embrittlement. His team has been collaborating with SOREX WELDING CO.,LTD., a welding rod manufacturer in Tainan, for a long time. During the development of non-hydrogen steel, they also discovered that SOREX's welding material, 420, can effectively mitigate hydrogen embrittlement. By undergoing a dehydrogenation process, 420 is transformed into 420L, which successfully prevents hydrogen attack.
To verify the hydrogen resistance of non-hydrogen steel, the team established one of the few laboratories in the country capable of evaluating metal hydrogen embrittlement from scratch. They developed a process called "hydrogen accumulation treatment," in which hydrogen is used to attack specific areas of stainless steel materials over a period that can last for several months. Afterward, a hydrogen embrittlement investigation is conducted. The laboratory is equipped with the nation's only electrically driven high-temperature tensile fatigue testing machine, enabling real-time analysis of metal hydrogen embrittlement. Hong Feiyi stated that due to the high risks associated with hydrogen, setting up a safe laboratory was extremely challenging. The team collaborated with experts in chemical engineering within the university, conducting repeated tests before achieving success.
Through rigorous testing, non-hydrogen steel has been shown to have more than twice the resistance to hydrogen penetration compared to other industrial-grade stainless steels. Additionally, it boasts greater strength and hardness than traditional stainless steel. When applied to hydrogen-powered vehicles, it enhances collision resistance and eliminates concerns about hydrogen embrittlement. In hydrogen fuel transportation pipelines, it significantly improves both transmission efficiency and safety.
Distinguished Professor Fei-Yi Hung stated that, thanks to the dedicated efforts of Dr. Bo-Ding Wu, graduate students Che-Wei Lu and Yu-Jen Huang over the past two years, the laboratory successfully established hydrogen accumulation testing and hydrogen embrittlement fatigue testing. Their work also contributed to the analysis and evaluation of various welds, leading to the development of application data for NCKU’s 416B non-hydrogen steel. Currently, related research papers have been published, and patent applications are in progress. NCKU’s advancements in hydrogen energy technology have set a new benchmark for the application of non-hydrogen steel.
The research team led by Distinguished Professor Fei-Yi Hung (second from the right) from the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at NCKU have developed "Non-Hydrogen Steel," a material resistant to hydrogen permeation. The image features team members, including Postdoctoral Researcher Bo-Ding Wu (far right), Graduate Student Che-Wei Lu (second from the left), and Graduate Student Yu-Jen Huang (far left). In the center of the image is Taiwan’s only electrically driven high-temperature tensile fatigue testing machine, housed in their laboratory
The research team led by Distinguished Professor Fei-Yi Hung from the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at NCKU has established one of the few laboratories in Taiwan capable of evaluating metal hydrogen embrittlement. Within the laboratory, the nation’s only electrically driven high-temperature tensile fatigue testing machine is currently being used to conduct hydrogen embrittlement tests
The research team led by Distinguished Professor Fei-Yi Hung from the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at NCKU has developed hydrogen-resistant steel, "Non-Hydrogen Steel 416B," capable of withstanding hydrogen permeation. Additionally, they have also introduced hydrogen-resistant welding material, 420L
The research team led by Distinguished Professor Fei-Yi Hung from the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at NCKU has established one of the few laboratories in Taiwan capable of evaluating metal hydrogen embrittlement. Their method involves directing hydrogen to attack specific regions of a material, a process known as hydrogen accumulation treatment
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