New Study Reveals Existing Gas Turbines Unsuitable for Hydrogen Fuel Due to Metal Embrittlement
A recent study published in Nature Materials by researchers from Germany, China, and France indicates that existing gas turbines are not ready to operate on hydrogen fuel. The research highlights a significant challenge in the hydrogen economy: the impact of hydrogen on metal infrastructure. Hydrogen, being the smallest molecule, can easily penetrate and embrittle steel pipes and other metal components, even at ambient temperatures. The study specifically found that at high and variable temperatures inside gas turbines, hydrogen's ability to embrittle machinery is significantly accelerated. When tested with the industry-standard nickel-base superalloy (IN718) at temperatures up to 600°C, hydrogen caused twice as much damage as at ambient temperatures, leading to a potential for catastrophic failure. This embrittlement is particularly problematic between 400°C and 600°C, where turbine ductility can drop by up to 30%. 
