Charlie Hutchings

The pursuit of net zero has accelerated interest in the use of hydrogen as an alternative energy source to today’s carbon emitting fossil fuels. However, while hydrogen is a versatile energy source, it is also highly flammable and explosive, requiring careful consideration of its application and the materials it comes into contact with. Hydrogen can weaken metals, which make up much of today’s infrastructure, potentially compromising their strength and safety.

Charlie’s project aims to test and evaluate how well existing infrastructure can handle hydrogen. He aims to model scenarios of hydrogen-material interactions on a laboratory scale, examining how hydrogen affects their strength and durability using mechanical testing, microscopy and surface analysis. The data gathered will inform predictive models that can assess whether current infrastructure can safely and effectively use hydrogen, and for how long, to help increase the operational safety and productivity of hydrogen economy infrastructure.

This fundamental material testing will contribute to the renewables industry and help shape future standards for hydrogen use in new and repurposed infrastructure, ensuring safety and efficiency in the transition to cleaner energy.