Dahoe AE — Hydrogen Material Compatibility Steel

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Hydrogen Material
Compatibility
Steel Embrittlement Dr Arief Dahoe Explosion, Hydrogen Safety and Combustion Scientist ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Dutch Armed Forces Knowledge Center for Explosion and Hydrogen Safety http://www.explosionsolutions.org/kcehs/

Hydrogen Material Incompatibility: Damage Mechanisms [Dr A.E. Dahoe: Principles of Hydrogen Safety, Knowledge Center for Explosion and Hydrogen Safety]

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Hydrogen Phase Diagram

hydrogen

108

liquid
metal

H metal
Pressure [bar]

106
104

H2 gas

102
critical point
100

H2
solid

H2 liquid
triple point

H gas

10−2
100

101

102
103
104
Temperature [K]

105

106

[Dr A.E. Dahoe: Principles of Hydrogen Safety, Knowledge Center for Explosion and Hydrogen Safety]

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ELECTRONIC STRUCTURE AND CONFIGURATION:
Noble gasses:
He: 1s2 , Ne: 1s2 2s2 2p6 , Ar: 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 ,

Kr: 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 3d10 4p6

Halogens:

F: 1s2 2s2 2p5 ,

Cl: 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p5 , Br: 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 3d10 4p5

Paramagnetic:

H: 1s1 ,

Diamagnetic:

Be: 1s2 2s2 , Hg: 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 3d10 4p6 4d10 5s2 5p6 6s2 4f14 5d10 , Ag: 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 3d10 4p6 5s1 4d10 , Au: 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 3d10 4p6 4d10 5s2 5p6 6s1 4f14 5d10

Non-magnetic?

Mn: 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 3d5 ,

Fe: 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 3d6 ,

Ni: 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 3d8

Cu: 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s1 3d10

Electron shells are labeled by quantum numbers (n = 1, 2, 3, . . .) or letters (K, L, M, . . .) containing a maximum number of 2n2 electrons. Subshells are designated by small letters (s, p, d, f, . . .) comprising orbitals.

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INTERNAL HYDROGEN EMBRITTLEMENT

Internal Hydrogen Embrittlement [1]: Blistering.
Interior:
Metal:

Exterior:

HCl(g) + H2 O(l) −−→ H3 O+ (aq) + Cl− (aq)
2 H3 O+ (aq) + 2 e− −−→ H2 (g) + 2 H2 O(l) M(s) − βe− + βCl− (aq) −−→ MClβ (s) [surface] βH3 O+ (aq) + βe− −−→ βH· + βH2 O(l) [surface] H· + H· −−→ H2 (g) [bulk] H· + H· −−→ H2 (g)

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Environmental Hydrogen Embrittlement:
2 H2 O(l) −−→ H3 O+ (aq) + OH− (aq) 2 H3 O+ (aq) + 2 e− −−→ H2 (g) + 2 H2 O(l) M(s) − βe− + βOH− (aq) −−→ M[OH]β (s) βH3 O+ (aq) + βe− −−→ βH· + βH2 O(l) H· + H· −−→ H2 (g) Construction elements of bridges

HYDROGEN ENRICHMENT OF METAL
• Hydrogen Embrittlement (HE), Hydrogen-Induced Cracking (HIC) and High-Temperature Hydrogen Attack (HTHA) of low carbon and low alloy steel pipelines, pressure vessels, and tubes in the power and oil and gas industry • HE of high-strength (titanium) and other hightoughness alloys, including high strength steels, and aluminum alloys used in military aircraft and other equipment • HE of nickel-based alloys and failure of duplex stainless steels for subsea applications in critical components exposed to seawater and other equipment • Hydrogen-induced fractures and HE of martensitic and other advanced high strength steels used by automotive manufacturers to create lightweight, crashworthy cars • HE of precipitation-hardened high-strength steels and copper-based alloys for use in hydrogen refueling stations • HE and HIC of fasteners in marine and other aggressive environments; and Hydride Embrittlement of metallic alloys for nuclear systems

HYDROGEN DAMAGE MECHANISMS [2]

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Grain Structure of Steel [1]. Without H2 (left). With H2 (right).

Hydrogen Induced Fracturing [1]. Intergranular Cracking (left). Transgranular Cracking (right).

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kf

−−
H2 ↽
−⇀
− H· + H·
kb
diffusion

Keq (P, T ) =

kf
p2
= pHH·
kb
2

H· −−−−→ Metal

Hoop Stress and Longitudinal Stress

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Hydrogen Concentration – Stress - Strain Diagram (700 MPa yield strength steel) [3]

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kf

−−
H2 ↽
−⇀
− H· + H·
kb
diffusion

Keq (P, T ) =

kf
p2
= pHH·
kb
2

H· −−−−→ Metal

Intergranular Stress Assisted Cracking [1]:
Fracture Propagation Along Grain Boundaries Galvanic (Anodic/Cathodic) Protection Required

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PROTECTING STEEL FROM GALVANIC CORROSION – CHROME PLATING

Effect of hydrogen on chrome plated steel

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Hydrogen trapping by titanium carbide
and vanadium carbide precipitates [4].

Hydrogen trapping by carbide precipitates [4]:
(a) titanium carbide, (b) vanadium carbide, (c) titanium carbide, (d) vanadium carbide.

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HYDROGEN TRAPPING

Hydrogen trapping sites in steels [5, 6].

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Unified model for synergistic hydrogen embrittlement mechanisms in steels [5].

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STEEL COMPOSITIONS

Additional refererences: [6–11].

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EFFECT OF ALLOYING ELEMENTS
TECHNICAL TERMS
Sensitization. When steels, such as austenitic type, are slowly cooled through the range 550 – 850 ◦ C, they frequently become susceptible to intergranular attack in a corrosive medium.
(1) Sensitization occurs only in the temperature range 550 – 850 ◦ C because of the diffusion of the carbon to the grain boundaries.
(2) Fast cooling rate through the sensitizing temperature range does not provide adequate time for the process of sensitizing to occur.
(3) The degree of sensitization increases with increasing carbon content and decreasing chromium content.
(4) Chromium carbide precipitates at the grain boundary. A single carbon atom can tie up almost four chromium atoms.
Stabilized steel. Steels containing stabilizers, such as titanium and niobium, which form carbides that are more stable than chromium carbides, are called stabilized stainless steels.
Chromium depletion. When the concentration of chromium adjacent to the grain boundaries becomes less compared to its concentration away from the grain boundaries, the phenomenon is termed chromium depletion.
Annealing. Slow cooling in the furnace.

Nickel. Decreases susceptibility to sensitization.
Because carbon solubility decreases with increased Ni content.
Molybdenum. The susceptibility of steels to intergranular attack decreases with increased Mo content. Mo also increases the resistance to pitting and crevice corrosion.
Chromium. Generally increases the resistance to sensitization.
Nitrogen. The effect of nitrogen depends upon the amount. N is an austenite stabilizer. Steels containing 18% Cr, 9 – 12% Ni and N which are sensitized at 500 ◦ C for 100 h showed a maximum sensitization resistance at 0.04% N.
Titanium and Niobium. Provide stabilization against harmful precipitates (chromium carbides).
They combine with C and N. To prohibit C and N to precipitate as carbides and nitrides which lead to intergranular fracturing.
Silicon. Increases corrosion resistance in sulfuric acid.
Sulfur and Selenium. Added to increase machinability and malleability. However, corrosion resistance is decreased.

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MELT POINTS AND BOILING POINTS OF ELEMENTS
Element Fe C Cr Ni Mn Mo Si N S P (white) P (red) Nb Ti V Al Cu B Sn Ca

Melt Point
(◦ C)
1538
3550
1907
1455
1246
2623 1410 – 1414 -210 115 44.1 590 2468 – 2477 1668 1910 660.32 1083 – 1085 2076 – 2350 232 842

Boiling Point
(◦ C)
2862
4827
2671
2913
2061
4639 2355 – 3265 -196 444.6 280.5 – 4742 – 4744 3287 3407 2470 2562 – 2595 3927 – 4273 2602 1484

Alloy
(Steel)
AISI 316
AISI 316L
AISI 304L
X42 X52 X60 X65 X70 X80

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Melt Point
(◦ C)
1370 – 1400
1375 – 1400
1400 – 1450 1420 – 1500 1425 – 1540 1450 – 1520 1370 – 1530 1370 – 1530 1450 – 1500

STRESS-STRAIN CURVE

Stress-Strain Curve:
(1) True elastic limit: the lowest stress at which dislocation movement begins.
(2) Proportionality limit: maximum value where stress is directly proportional to strain.
(3) Elastic limit: permanent deformation occurs.
(4) Offset yield strength: plastic deformation begins to occur.

Hydrogen Embrittlement Index (HEI):
∗
ϵ = ∆ℓ =⇒ HEI 1 = ϵϵ ℓ α∗ α = ∆a =⇒ HEI 2 = a α The asterisk (∗) denotes hydrogen charged.

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STRESS-STRAIN CURVE: DISLOCATION

20

STRESS-STRAIN CURVE: HYDROGEN EMBRITTLEMENT

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HYDROGEN COMPATIBILITY OF VARIOUS ALLOYS
Hydrogen compatibility of various alloys [12]. All experiments, except one, were conducted at 300 K.

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MARTENSITE TRANSFORMATION INDUCED HYDROGEN CRACKING

Steel type 304 [13]

Steel type 316L [13]

Martensite transformation induced hydrogen cracking at -60 ◦ C [13].
Steel type 304 = austeno-ferritic Steel type 316L = austenitic

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THERMAL INSULATION – AEROGEL – LIQUEFIED HYDROGEN

Aerogel [14]. Left: A block of silica aerogel. Middle: A flower resting on a piece of silica aerogel, which is suspended over a flame from a Bunsen burner. Right: A 2.5 kg brick supported by a piece of aerogel with a mass of 2 g.

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THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY

• STEEL • ALUMINIUM • COPPER • AEROGEL

Thermal Conductivity
Left: Steel, aluminium & copper. Data from NIST [15]. Right: Aerogel [16].
Note Thermal conductivity and electrical resistance are inversely related in metals due to free electrons. Their ratio is proportional to temperature in accordance with the Wiedemann-Franz law [17]. Therefore, good electrical conductors (low resistance) are good thermal conductors (high conductivity), and vice versa.
See also: phonon-electron interaction, superconductivity, Cooper pairs.

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CLASSIFICATION OF STEELS: AUSTENITIC, FERRITIC, MARTENSITIC

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DIFFUSION OF CARBON IN STAINLESS STEELS

Concentration gradient [18]:




dc
c
x2
− = √ exp − dx 4IDt πIDt   B where ID = A exp − RT

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DIFFUSION OF HYDROGEN IN STAINLESS STEEL
Composition of two X65 steels and the diffusion coefficient of hydrogen [19].

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STEEL RADIATION EMISSION - TEMPERATURES AND COLORS


Plutonium 238
Pu
94
Emissive Radiation

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CLASSIFICATION OF STEELS: AUSTENITIC, FERRITIC, MARTENSITIC

Source: Ref [1]. Strength range refers to Yield Strength.

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COMPOSITION AND PROPERTIES OF AUSTENITIC STEEL

Type 304 steel is austeno-ferritic. It contains 8 to 20% ferritic steel.
Source: Ref [1].

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COMPOSITION AND PROPERTIES OF FERRITIC STEEL

Source: Ref [1]. Strength range refers to Yield Strength.

32

COMPOSITION AND PROPERTIES OF MARTENSITIC STEEL

Source: Ref [1]. Strength range refers to Yield Strength.

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IMPLICATIONS FOR THE DUTCH NATURAL GAS TRANSMISSION NETWORK SUPPLEMENTARY LECTURES

• The Dutch Natural Gas Transmission Network
is incompatible with hydrogen. And it cannot be repurposed for hydrogen service!
• Because it is constructed from steel types (X42,..., X70, etc). These are inadequate for hydrogen service. As evidenced by Refs. [6–9, 11, 20]. It are ferritic steels with a composition as summarized on Slide 16.
• Moreover: the hydrogen content may not exceed 0.2 vol% within the current/existing natural gas transmission network • AISI 316L appears to be the only viable option.
And that’s precisely what is applied for the hydrogen gas transmission network on Slide 34 • Hydrogen embrittlement/damage is caused by a multitude of mechanisms. As per Slide 2. Construction materials for hydrogen service must cope with all these mechanisms simultaneously.
• The NIPV [21], KIWA [22], DNVGL [23] and CE Delft [24] reports are scientifically wrong and misleading. And must be deemed invalid • Hyperlink to Artificial Intelligence Evaluation

• Blast Scaling:
Explosion Effects on Equipment, Structures, People and the Environment • Hydrogen Storage: A Concise Overview • Explosions:
Phenomenology, Dynamics and Mitigation

HYNETWORK [25]
DUTCH HYDROGEN BACKBONE
New Pipelines:

L360NE (X52) [26]
L415NE (X60) [27]

Existing Pipelines:

API5L L245 (Grade B) [28]
API5L L360 (X52) [26]

Residual Lifetime:

Calculation Methods [29, 30]

SUPPLEMENTARY REFERENCES
• Refs. [31–45]

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Bibliography

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[2] Djukic M.B. Hydrogen Embrittlement and Material Selection. Webinar, September 2022.
[3] McGuire M., Zamanzadeh M., Zolfaghari F., and Chikkam A.K. Hydrogen Measurement and Failure Prediction. Matergenics Inc, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA, August 2025.
[4] Boot T., Kömmelt P., Brouwer H.J.C., Böttger A., and Popovich V. Effect of titanium and vanadium nanocarbide size on hydrogen embrittlement of ferritic steels. Materials Degradation, 9: Article 2, 2025.
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[19] Koren E., Yamabe J., Lu X., Hagen C.M.H., Wang D., and Johnsen R. Hydrogen diffusivity in X65 pipeline steel: Desorption and permeation studies. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 61:1157–1169, 2024.
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[23] Van den Noort A., Sloterdijk W., and Vos M.
OGNL.151886, July 2017.

Verkenning waterstofinfrastructuur.

DNV GL Report

[24] Jongsma C., Van der Veen R., and Vendrik J. Waterstof voor de gebouwde omgeving. CE Delft Report 20.190307.001, February 2020. Kennisdocument voor de gemeente Nijmegen.
[25] HyNetwork. Conceptvoorstel aanpassing uitrolplan. Consultatiedocument, 2024.
[26] Bouledroua O., Zelmati D., Hafsi Z., and Djukic M.B. Hydrogen embrittlement effects on remaining life and fatigue crack growth rate in API 5L X52 steel pipelines under cyclic pressure loading. Engineering Failure Analysis, 166: Article 108917, 2024.
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[28] Paiva V.E.L., Vieira R.D., and Freire J.L.F. Fatigue Properties Assessment of API 5L Gr. B Pipeline Steel Using Infrared Thermography. In A. Baldi, S. Quinn, X. Balandraud, and J.M. Dulieu-Barton, editors,

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Residual Stress, Thermomechanics & Infrared Imaging, Hybrid Techniques and Inverse Problems, volume 7 of Conference Proceedings of the Society for Experimental Mechanics Series, pages 17–23, New York, 2019. The Society for Experimental Mechanics, Inc., River Publishers.
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[33] Martin P., Ocko I.B., Esquivel-Elizondo S., Kupers R., Cebon D., Baxter T., and Hamburg S.P. A review of challenges with using the natural gas system for hydrogen. Energy Science and Engineering, 12:3995–4009, 2024.
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[38] American Petroleum Institute (API). Recommended Practice for Conducting Drop-Weight Tear Tests on Line Pipe. API Recommended Practice 5L3 (API RP 5L3), 2025.
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