High Throughput Screening of Cladded Steel Pipelines for Hydrogen Fuel

Many nations have aimed for net zero emissions by 2050. Existing gas pipelines and containers can be upgraded for transport and storage of hydrogen as part of a sustainable energy transition. However, pipeline-hydrogen interaction and its safety need to be established for further use within the operational conditions. In this study, hydrogen embrittlement behavior of alloy gladed API X 60 steel was studied using high throughput methodologies. API X-60 steel is widely used in the oil and gas pipeline for transportation over long networks. The compositionally graded alloy deposition was performed through additive manufacturing technique direct laser deposition. A combination of 316L and In625 powders were used to compositionally deposit in different gradients to identify the optimal composition in terms of depositions that are crack free and at the same time has maximum resistance towards hydrogen embrittlement. The high-resolution Scanning Kelvin Probe Force Microscopy (SKPFM) is used to map the diffusion profiles of hydrogen at cross section of samples after hydrogen charging. The results from SKPFM, electron microscopy, and variation in mechanical behavior before and after HER was correlated and presented as a function of alloying composition. The variations in the resistance to hydrogen embrittlement and hardness, measured using high throughput characterization techniques, were rationalized by recourse to different phases present in the microstructures. Our study showed that the composition gradient coatings through additive manufacturing has improved the resistance to corrosion and hydrogen embrittlement of API X-60 steel.