Material Challenges in the Hydrogen Economy – And How to Overcome Them

Published on June 3 2025

As the world accelerates toward decarbonisation, hydrogen is emerging as a critical enabler of the clean energy transition. With its potential to fuel everything from vehicles to industrial processes, hydrogen offers an attractive pathway to net-zero emissions. However, realising the full potential of the hydrogen economy comes with a complex set of materials challenges, many of which can make or break performance, safety, and long-term viability.

In this blog, we’ll explore the most pressing material issues facing the hydrogen economy and the advanced solutions that are helping to overcome them.

Table of Contents

Hydrogen Embrittlement: A Silent Threat

Hydrogen Permeation: Invisible Leaks, Real Risks

Chemical Compatibility and Corrosion

High-Temperature Stability

Seal Integrity and Elastomer Degradation

Conclusion

Hydrogen Embrittlement: A Silent Threat

The Challenge:

Hydrogen atoms are notoriously small and mobile, allowing them to diffuse into metals and degrade their mechanical properties, a phenomenon known as hydrogen embrittlement. This can cause sudden, catastrophic failure in pipelines, storage tanks, and high-pressure components.

Applications at Risk:

• High-pressure hydrogen storage cylinders
• Pipelines and distribution infrastructure
• Fuel cell system components

Material Solutions:

• Austenitic stainless steels (e.g., 316L) offer good resistance to embrittlement due to their face-centred cubic (FCC) structure.
• Nickel-based alloys (like Inconel 718) provide high strength and excellent corrosion resistance under hydrogen exposure.
• Polymers and composites (e.g., PEEK, PTFE-based seals) act as hydrogen barriers, especially in Type IV pressure vessels.

 

Hydrogen Permeation: Invisible Leaks, Real Risks

The Challenge:

Hydrogen molecules are so small they can diffuse through many materials, even metals. This permeation can cause energy loss, contaminate adjacent systems, or present fire hazards in confined environments.

Applications at Risk:

• Hydrogen fuel tanks
• Tubing in electrolysers and fuel cell systems
• Valves and fittings

Material Solutions:

• High-barrier polymers, such as ETFE (ethylene tetrafluoroethylene) and FEP, help reduce hydrogen diffusion.
• Multilayer composite structures, combining metals and polymers, can provide both structural strength and permeation resistance.
• Surface coatings, including alumina or silica nanolayers, are being developed to enhance hydrogen impermeability.

 

Chemical Compatibility and Corrosion

The Challenge:

Hydrogen systems often operate under high pressures and temperatures, and may include impurities such as moisture, sulphur, or oxygen - all of which can corrode or degrade materials.

Applications at Risk:

• Electrolysers (especially anode and cathode hardware)
• Hydrogen production and purification systems
• Fuel cell bipolar plates

Material Solutions:

• Titanium and its alloys show excellent resistance to corrosion in electrolyser environments.
• Graphite composites are used in bipolar plates for PEM fuel cells due to their chemical inertness and conductivity.
• Fluoropolymers like PFA and PTFE offer outstanding chemical resistance in seals, gaskets, and tubing.

 

High-Temperature Stability

The Challenge:

Hydrogen applications such as combustion or solid oxide electrolysis can reach temperatures exceeding 800°C. At these temperatures, many materials lose mechanical integrity or react with hydrogen.

Applications at Risk:

• Turbines burning hydrogen-rich fuels
• Solid oxide electrolyser cells (SOEC)
• High-temperature reactors

Material Solutions:

• Ceramics (e.g., Yttria-stabilised zirconia) are key for solid oxide systems due to their ionic conductivity and thermal stability.
• Refractory metals like tungsten and molybdenum are used in high-temperature environments but require protective coatings to reduce hydrogen attack.
• High-performance polymers such as PEEK, while limited in temperature range (~260°C), offer solutions for thermal insulation and component housings below their degradation thresholds.

 

Seal Integrity and Elastomer Degradation

The Challenge:

Maintaining seal integrity under hydrogen exposure, cycling pressures, and varying temperatures is particularly difficult. Many traditional elastomers swell, crack, or leak over time.

Applications at Risk:

• Valves and regulators
• Fuel dispensers
• Electrolyser stacks

Material Solutions:

• Perfluoroelastomers (FFKM) offer top-tier resistance to hydrogen and aggressive chemicals.
• Hydrogen-specific O-rings made of fluoroelastomers (e.g., FKM) are increasingly used in static sealing applications.
• Encapsulated seals, using a fluoropolymer shell such as PFA, FEP and PTFE over a rubber core, provide both flexibility and chemical resistance.

 

Conclusion: Materials as Enablers of the Hydrogen Economy

The hydrogen economy promises a cleaner, more sustainable energy future, but it will only succeed if we engineer systems with the right materials at their core. From embrittlement-resistant metals to chemically inert polymers and high-temperature ceramics, the right material choices are essential to safe, efficient, and long-lasting hydrogen technologies.

As we scale up hydrogen infrastructure, a multidisciplinary approach, combining materials science, mechanical engineering, and real-world testing, is key to solving these complex challenges.

Companies leading in advanced materials, particularly in fluoropolymers, high-performance thermoplastics, and corrosion-resistant metals, will play a central role in powering the hydrogen future.

 

Interested in materials for hydrogen applications?
Contact us to learn how our advanced polymer and composite solutions can help your systems perform safely and reliably in the hydrogen economy.

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