Hydrogen-Steel Compatibility Research at NIST-Boulder

Published

March 30, 2009

Author(s)

Thomas A. Siewert

Abstract

The NIST Materials Reliability Division is outfitting a high pressure (100 MPa) hydrogen testing facility to collect mechanical and thermodynamic property data on various candidate structural materials, and is developing data on nondestructive sensors that can measure the content of hydrogen in steels. These data are becoming extremely important as the economics of hydrogen transport drive the consideration of a range of conventional steels for storage and distribution of hydrogen, and the infrastructure grows beyond pilot plants and demonstration facilities. Preliminary results with X-100 pipeline steel show a 100-fold increase in fatigue crack growth rate when charged with hydrogen. The two nondestructive sensors being evaluated are based on thermoelectric power and eddy-current concepts. Both have been found sensitive to hydrogen contents of less than one part per million, and are being used to validate permeation measurements of hydrogen through various pipeline steels.

Proceedings Title

Proceedings of NHA Conference

Conference Dates

March 30-April 3, 2009

Conference Location

Columbia, SC

Pub Type

Conferences

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Keywords

fatigue crack growth, hydrogen, mechanical testing, permeation, pipelines, test facility, workshop fatigue crack growth, hydrogen, mechanical testing, permeation, pipelines, test facility, workshop fatigue crack growth, hydrogen, mechanical testing, permeation, pipelines, test facility, workshop

Citation

Siewert, T. (2009), Hydrogen-Steel Compatibility Research at NIST-Boulder, Proceedings of NHA Conference, Columbia, SC, [online], https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=902004 (Accessed May 2, 2026)

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