During the first half of the OntzHi-II project, the priority activities required to achieve the defined technical objectives have been carried out, laying a solid foundation for the technological maturation phase planned for 2026.
The work performed covers several strategic lines of the project, with a particular focus on the development of barrier coatings to prevent hydrogen embrittlement, permeation and leakage, as well as on the advancement of innovative solutions in composite materials, sustainable processes and pipeline systems.
In the field of barrier coatings for metals, different deposition technologies (PECVD, PVD-HiPIMS and sol-gel) have been investigated and optimised, analysing key aspects such as adhesion, permeability and behaviour under hydrogen exposure. The initial results make it possible to identify promising configurations and provide relevant insights into the influence of the environment on phenomena such as friction, wear and hydrogen permeation.
In parallel, the project has progressed in composite materials and advanced manufacturing processes, incorporating new real-time monitoring capabilities in AFP tape-laying processes for type IV hydrogen storage tanks, as well as in the development of recyclable UV-curing resins and their characterisation for 3D printing applications.
Within the work package dedicated to pipeline solutions, test specimens representative of real industrial conditions have been manufactured and prepared, specific welds have been carried out for advanced studies, and experimental configurations and numerical models have been defined to enable the evaluation of mechanical and fatigue behaviour in high-pressure hydrogen atmospheres in later stages of the project.
In addition, predictive computational models have been initiated, deploying cloud computing infrastructure and advancing in the selection and analysis of large datasets for the training of artificial intelligence models applied to materials research.
Continuous coordination between the participating research centres and the Industrial Advisory Board has ensured alignment of the developments with sector needs and their future applicability in real operating environments.
To learn more about all the activities, methodologies and results achieved, the full report of the first year of the OntzHi-II project is available for download on this page.
