An experimental and theoretical analysis of hydrogen sorption, diffusion and permeation in semicrystalline polymers

Abstract

The potential of green hydrogen as sustainable energy carrier has boosted the interest for the development of safe and efficient system for its transport and storage. Metal pipelines and tanks indeed may be subjected to embrittlement and possible failure due to hydrogen diffusion. One solution to this issue is the use of high performance polymers to protect them against hydrogen penetration. Most such materials are semicrystalline, as crystal domains are impermeable to gases. The knowledge of gas diffusion in semicrystalline materials at moderate and high pressures however is very scarce, both at the experimental and modeling level. In this work, that involves different international groups and industrial partners, we address this problem comprehensively using theoretical models and experimental analysis. The aim is to obtain a reliable model which uses a few predictable parameters to design materials with desired performance, and introduce the innovation required for the hydrogen infrastructure.