Experts in the characterization, analysis, evaluation and management of materials and components in contact with hydrogen and hydrogen derivatives

Hydrogen is able to penetrate all materials and influence their properties. How hydrogen affects the mechanical and tribological properties of a material is complex, material and scale-dependent, and is the subject of our research.

For a sustainable future:

• Computer-aided design of technical components in contact with hydrogen,
• Via simulations, predict the safety and service life of existing components in contact with hydrogen,
• Enable low-risk material substitutions to be made.

Our experts clarify the material behavior under realistic load collectives, develop computer-aided material and property models and test these in simulated load scenarios.

The experts in materials mechanics have developed extensive expertise in these areas.

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The challenges in dealing with materials in contact with hydrogen and hydrogen derivatives lie in the fact that the properties of a material can change (deteriorate) significantly in the presence of hydrogen.

Depending on which of the three risks is to be assessed, increasingly elementary material-mechanical parameters must be included in the assessment. For example, chemical and physical property changes (hydrogen embrittlement) at an atomic level must be considered to correctly determine the service life of components and hydrogen atmospheres.

The quantitative prediction of the change in properties is very difficult to determine, as both the hydrogen atmosphere (dry, moist, additional gases), the material itself (microstructure, alloy composition) and the prevailing mechanical and thermal loads have an influence. The most important influencing factors are gas pressure, gas temperature, type of stress (quasi-static, cyclic) and the amount of mechanical tensile stresses involved.

There are current fracture mechanics studies on metallic materials that indicate complete hydrogen damage from as little as 1 vol% hydrogen. Damage caused by gaseous hydrogen tends to occur at mechanical tensile stresses above the yield point. Material characteristics, damage models and service life models that are required for computational aided engineering (CAE) and which are required for the calculation of service life and strength are not applicable when analyzing contact with hydrogen.

In order to qualify a material system for contact with hydrogen, the material properties, the load collective and the hydrogen atmosphere must be determined along with an assessment of their interactions.

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No matter in which area of a company you work or what your area of responsibility is in the product life cycle: The Fraunhofer IWM is the ideal partner for you to make materials in contact with hydrogen describable, evaluable, assessable and controllable, as we combine everything from experimental data acquisition to modeling and evaluation under one roof.

For you as a design engineer, through simulations, we provide suitable parameters and characteristic values with which you can realistically design the component you are designing and predict its suitability. We evaluate various material alternatives for you in terms of their suitability for your specific hydrogen application.

For you as a component developer and simulation expert, we provide suitable simulation models (service life models, models for crack propagation) and simulation parameters (e.g. Wöhler curves) so that, virtually, you can realistically test a designed component and predict its service life.

For you as a product manager, we determine the (remaining) service life of technical parts and components before series production or commissioning and evaluate their safety so that you can plan maintenance intervals and design optimizations. We analyze and compare lubricants for you in order to evaluate them with regard to the risk of causing hydrogen-induced damage in plain and rolling bearings. We carry out analytical fault evaluations and prepare damage assessments.

For you as a plant operator or facility manager, we can clarify the causes of damage if necessary and work with you to develop measures to prevent such damage.

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Load-specific material testing

With our versatile testing and characterization options, we offer industrial companies comprehensive characterization services for metallic, ceramic and polymer (fibre composite) materials and clarify the material behaviour under tribological, mechanical and thermal loads as well as under the influence of hydrogen. 

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Development and construction of test apparatus for special load scenarios

For your special testing requirements (including under hydrogen environments), we develop individual test setups and systems to clarify the friction and wear mechanisms in abrasive contact, or to determine mechanical material characteristics under individual load profiles (tensile, compression, vibration, etc.).  

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Computer-aided component evaluation 

We offer computer-aided safety verifications, service life analyses and assessments of the suitability of components for use in contact with hydrogen, high safety requirements and unusual load ranges. We consider components made of state-of-the-art materials and composites as well as hybrid designs and joints.

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Investigating cases of damage in production and operation 

Whether during development, in production or in operation, we investigate the causes of damage (cracks, fractures, delamination, hydrogen embrittlement) in components and materials, determine the remaining service life depending on the severity of damage and clarify questions about safe continued operation and maintenance cycles.  

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Development of material and damage models for virtual component design 

We develop material maps, material and load-specific simulation models for material behavior and hydrogen-induced damage models for use in system simulations and computer-aided component evaluation to enable the virtual development of sophisticated and highly stressed components, including those in hydrogen atmospheres.

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Development of diffusion barrier coatings 

To improve service life and reduce hydrogen diffusion in components and tribocontacts, we develop metallic, carbide, nitride and oxide coating systems as well as complex multilayer coatings on customer-specific substrate materials.

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Our contribution to your company ranges from the characterization of materials, consultation and support during decision-making processes to the joint development of new products.

We have a wide range of testing equipment for the characterization of materials using standardized and individual test methods.

We have over 50 years of experience in the interpretation of physically based material behavior in application-specific contexts by means of experimental and simulative investigations.

We ensure that the influence of microstructure, process routes, residual stresses and damage on the functionality and service life of components can be described and understood so that you can make the best possible use of the strength reserves of your construction materials under extreme loads.

Cooperation with the Fraunhofer IWM

You are faced with a materials engineering challenge and need a specific solution. We support you in finding and implementing that solution. Research projects begin with a non-binding consultation. Here, we explore which goals can be achieved and what the time and financial framework might look like. The highest level of professionalism in project processing is independent of the size of the project.

Some tasks are more complex and interdisciplinary, so that the expertise of several Fraunhofer Institutes is required for the solution. In such cases, we have experience in the efficient and transparent handling of large projects involving several Fraunhofer Institutes. And we know which funding options are available.

With publicly funded research projects - from the state, federal government or EU - industrial companies develop new topics together with research institutes. 

Industrial partners and research institutes jointly apply for funding for a joint project. The results of such projects are pre-competitive findings and widely applicable methods. These for example can be adapted and transferred to company-specific requirements and applications as part of contract research.

The Fraunhofer IWM acts as an accelerator in development and innovation processes. A strategic partnership gives you regulated access to our growing expertise and technical capabilities. This provides you with planning security for your research and innovation projects.

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