HYDROGEN AND MATERIALS

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  • DURATION
    5 WEEKS
  • SUBJECT AREA
    Hydrogen
  • COURSE LEVEL
    Second Cycle
  • CREDITS
    0.0 HP
  • INSTITUTION
    REEDEAM
  • STUDY TYPE
    Distance
  • START DATE
    2026-03-02
  • END DATE
    2026-03-31

COURSE DESCRIPTION

Hydrogen will play a major role in the transition to a low-carbon society. Still, it also introduces demanding conditions for materials and components across the entire value chain, from production and compression to storage, transport, and end-use. Many of the most critical technical risks in hydrogen systems are materials-related, including loss of ductility and premature fracture, accelerated fatigue, unexpected leakage, seal degradation, corrosion, and performance degradation over time. Understanding these mechanisms is essential for making safe, reliable, and cost-effective engineering decisions.

This course offers a practical, engineering-focused introduction to materials in the hydrogen economy, including catalysts in hydrogen production and materials used in hydrogen storage and transportation, as well as their impact on component lifetime and system safety. You will learn how hydrogen enters materials, how it moves (diffusion and permeation), where it accumulates (trapping sites), and how these processes can trigger degradation. A special focus is placed on hydrogen embrittlement in metals, particularly in steels and welded joints, because these materials are widely used in pipelines, pressure vessels, fittings, and structural components. The course also covers non-metallic materials that are crucial for hydrogen infrastructure, including polymers, elastomers, and coatings used in liners, seals, hoses, gaskets, and protective layers.

In addition to the fundamental mechanisms, the course connects theory to real engineering choices. You will discuss which materials are suitable under different hydrogen conditions (pressure, temperature, purity, moisture, cycling), what typical failure modes look like, and what mitigation strategies can be used in practice, such as material selection, heat treatment, surface engineering/coatings, design measures, operating-window choices, and inspection/testing approaches. The course also introduces materials challenges in key hydrogen technologies such as electrolysers and storage solutions, highlighting how degradation and compatibility issues influence performance and maintenance needs. You will also discuss hydrogen carriers and their storage and utilization solutions.

The teaching format combines short, focused lectures with seminar discussions and an applied assignment. Participants are encouraged to bring examples from their own work or studies (for example, a pipeline material choice, a valve and seal problem, a storage tank concept, or an electrolyser component, chemical and physical storage systems) and use these as case studies during seminars and in the final assignment. By the end of the course, you will have both the conceptual framework and the practical tools needed to evaluate materials risks in hydrogen applications and make better-informed decisions for real systems.

What you will be able to do after the course

After completing the course, you will be able to:

Explain key mechanisms of hydrogen–materials interactions and their consequences
Identify materials-related risks in hydrogen production, storage, and transportation
Evaluate and justify materials choices for hydrogen components and systems
Propose mitigation strategies (design choices, coatings, operating conditions, testing/inspection approaches)
 

Course structure (March 2–31)

6 lectures: Overview of hydrogen economy and materials, Materials in hydrogen production, Hydrogen materials interaction-core concepts, mechanisms, and engineering implications, Hydrogen Carriers, and materials selection and design
2 seminars: discussion of case studies and participant problems/components
1 assignment: applied analysis/report linked to a realistic hydrogen application (can be connected to your work/project)


For whom

Engineers and professionals working with hydrogen technologies (or planning hydrogen projects)
Master’s students in relevant fields


Entry requirements

Recommended background in engineering/natural sciences (materials/mechanics/chemistry/physics or equivalent). Relevant professional experience can also qualify.

 

Examination

Based on:

Assignment (report and/or presentation)
Participation in lectures, seminars and discussions

Course responsible/examiner: Farid Akhtar

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