Hydrogen gas is seeping through rubber seals and hoses at rates that current tests cannot reliably measure, and a new project aims to fix that. The problem is that today’s testing standards for rubber components in hydrogen systems come from the oil and gas industry, where high pressure is the main concern. But hydrogen behaves differently under varying temperatures and pressures, and no standardised method exists to measure how much of the gas permeates through materials like EPDM, HNBR, and fluoropolymers. Without accurate measurements, engineers cannot confidently select materials for hydrogen pipelines, storage tanks, or vehicle fuel systems. The University of Manchester team will develop robust test methods that quantify hydrogen permeation across a range of temperature and pressure gradients. They will focus on PFAS-free rubber materials, including those reinforced with graphene and other 2D nanomaterials. If successful, the project will deliver a standardised testing protocol that allows industry to compare materials reliably. This directly supports the UK’s hydrogen production goals and broader decarbonisation efforts by enabling safer, more durable components for the hydrogen economy. The work is applied, not fundamental science, and has immediate relevance to energy and automotive sectors.
View original technical description
This project addresses the technical challenges associated with accurately measuring hydrogen permeation in rubber materials used in key industries such as energy and automotive. As the UK government advances ambitious hydrogen production goals and global hydrogen demand continues to rise, the establishment of reliable, standardised testing methodologies for hydrogen permeation is critical to ensuring safety, performance, and long-term durability in hydrogen applications. Currently, rubber components in hydrogen systems are evaluated using testing standards from the oil & gas sector, predominantly suited for high-pressure conditions. However, there remains a substantial gap in measurement methodologies where variations in temperature and pressure significantly affect the behaviour of hydrogen permeation and diffusion. The primary focus of this project is therefore the development of robust and standardised test methods capable of quantifying hydrogen permeation under diverse temperature and pressure gradients. These methods will specifically target existing PFAS-free rubber materials, such as EPDM, HNBR, VMQ, and fluoropolymers developed using non-fluoro surfactant technologies and reinforced with graphene and other 2D nanomaterials. This methodology development will leverage the extensive expertise and experience of The University of Manchester. Additionally, the collaborative framework provided by the A4I program will facilitate industry-wide adoption and impact, aligning closely with the UK's hydrogen strategy and broader decarbonisation objectives. Ultimately, the project aims to deliver a reliable, standardised permeation testing protocol, significantly enhancing material selection processes and contributing to the advancement of sustainable, high-performance rubber solutions in the transition to a low-carbon economy.
Plain English summaries and category classifications on this site are generated by AI and may not perfectly reflect the original research.
Is something wrong? Let us know