The phenomenon of hydrogen embrittlement has gained increasing attention in recent years, being considered one of the main current challenges for the establishment of hydrogen as an energy vector. In this context, ONTZHI-II proposes the research of hydrogen barrier coatings as an alternative to mitigate the embrittlement of tanks and metallic components exposed to hydrogen-rich environments.
During the design stage of these barrier coatings, advanced characterisation methods are essential to understand the interaction between the coatings and hydrogen, as well as their mechanisms of action. One of the techniques CIDETEC Surface Engineering relies on to achieve these objectives is Glow Discharge – Optical Emission Spectroscopy (GD-OES). This equipment provides elemental composition profiles of materials, including hydrogen.
In ONTZHI-II, the coatings developed by CIDETEC Surface Engineering are subjected to electrochemical hydrogen pre-charging and subsequently analysed by GD-OES. This technique not only confirms the introduction of external hydrogen into the coatings, but also reveals its distribution beyond the surface, down to a few hundred microns in depth.
Within the framework of ONTZHI-II, GD-OES is already being used as a complementary characterisation technique alongside hydrogen permeation tests. In this second year of the project, it is expected to assist in identifying the hydrogen barrier mechanisms offered by the coatings under investigation by CIDETEC Surface Engineering.
