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Mechanical Testing of Polymers in Pressurized Hydrogen: Tension, Creep and Ductile Fracture

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Abstract

The paper aims at characterizing some key features of the mechanical behavior of two semi-crystalline polymers in weakly pressurized hydrogen. The opportunity to use hydrogen as an alternative energy strengthens the need for reliable data on possible coupling effects between gas diffusion and mechanical properties, especially for safe design purpose. However, such effects have not been really quantified in polymers. In the present study, a hydraulic testing machine has been fitted with a pressure hydrogen chamber, and three major aspects of the mechanical behavior have been investigated in polyethylene and polyamide 11: monotonic tension, long-term creep (based on a time-temperature superposition principle) and ductile fracture (evaluated from an essential work of fracture method). Suitable protocols have been defined to take into account specificity like temperature and pressure history dependence and gas saturation kinetics of the sample.

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Acknowledgments

Authors would like to acknowledge the French National Research Agency ANR (PAN’H program/PolHYTube project) for granting the work and fruitful partnerships with Air Liquide, Institut Français du Pétrole, IMP-INSA Lyon, Mateis-INSA Lyon, Arkema, and CEA.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Département de Physique et Mécanique des Matériaux, Institut P’ (UPR CNRS 3346), CNRS-ENSMA-Université de Poitiers, ENSMA, 1 Avenue Clément Ader, BP 40109, 86961, Futuroscope cedex, France

    S. Castagnet, J.-C. Grandidier, M. Comyn & G. Benoît

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  1. S. Castagnet
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  2. J.-C. Grandidier
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  3. M. Comyn
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  4. G. Benoît
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Correspondence to S. Castagnet.

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Castagnet, S., Grandidier, JC., Comyn, M. et al. Mechanical Testing of Polymers in Pressurized Hydrogen: Tension, Creep and Ductile Fracture. Exp Mech 52, 229–239 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11340-011-9484-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11340-011-9484-1

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