The Fraunhofer IWM and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have launched the joint research project HyLife. It aims to develop a physically based model for predicting the lifetime of materials in contact with gaseous hydrogen. The project will run until 2028 and is supported under the Fraunhofer funding program ICON.
The goal is to shorten the complex and time-consuming qualification of materials for hydrogen infrastructures. Currently, the approval of new materials often takes several years. Many components are oversized for safety reasons or must undergo extensive mechanical testing. HyLife aims to address this.
Model to Predict Crack Formation at the Micro Level
The core of the project is a predictive model that forecasts the damage to steel parts with weld seams under the influence of hydrogen based on their microstructure and physical characteristics. This could reduce the need for extensive tests on crack formation and propagation in the future. This would not only lower production costs but also shorten innovation cycles.
To develop the model, Fraunhofer IWM is contributing a micro-sample testing technique for determining fracture toughness and crack growth. The results will be compared with high-throughput fatigue tests by NIST on a macro scale. Additionally, the partners analyze decohesion at mechanically stressed grain boundaries to better understand local damage mechanisms.
Application in International Standards Planned
The model is intended to be directly incorporated into the standards ASME B31.12 and ISO 11114-4, which are relevant worldwide for the design of components in hydrogen systems. Thus, HyLife could contribute to the standardization and safety of hydrogen infrastructures.
Fraunhofer IWM specializes in the analysis of damage mechanisms in materials and has experience in modeling on the micro scale. NIST brings its expertise in high-throughput testing and standardization work. The Fatigue and Fracture Group at NIST is considered a leader in fatigue testing in hydrogen environments.
