PhD in Hydrogen Permeation and Degradation in Structural Materials for Energy Applications

As the UK drives towards its Net Zero targets, hydrogen is becoming increasingly recognised as a key enabler of a low-carbon energy system. The safe production, transport, storage and use of hydrogen (often at high pressures) will be imperative to the successful implementation of a hydrogen economy and all of these processes require vessels and pipework to safely contain hydrogen in order to avoid any hazards if hydrogen were to escape. The critical challenge with this is that the interaction of hydrogen with structural materials can lead to uncontrolled hydrogen uptake resulting in degradation and ultimately premature failure.

Understanding and controlling hydrogen-material interactions is, therefore, critical to ensuring the safe, reliable, deployment of hydrogen technologies. While significant progress has been made in understanding hydrogen uptake through electrochemical charging methods, there remains a lack of data on gas-phase hydrogen permeation under service-relevant conditions.

This PhD aims to address this gap by investigating hydrogen permeation and its influence on the mechanical properties of structural materials (including alloys based on stainless steel, nickel, aluminium and/or carbon steel) under controlled pressure and temperature conditions.

Hydrogen flux and transport kinetics will be quantified to determine permeation coefficients, alongside assessing the influence of microstructural features such as defects, dislocations, precipitates, grain boundaries, and phase distributions. Materials will be characterised before and after hydrogen exposure using techniques including scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermal desorption spectroscopy (TDS), and mechanical testing. The outcomes of this PhD will provide critical insight into hydrogen-induced microstructural changes, mechanical degradation, and long-term performance, supporting materials selection for hydrogen infrastructure applications.

Funding notes:

Funding is available for UK Home students, covering fees and providing a stipend at UKRI rates (current stipend: £20,780 p.a.) for 36 months. The candidate should have, or expect to gain, a first or upper second class (2:1) undergraduate Honours degree or Masters degree (or equivalent) in Materials Science, Chemistry, or a related discipline. A background in hydrogen research would be advantageous but not essential.

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