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INTPART-International Partnerships for Excellent Education and Research

Japan-Norway Partnership on Hydrogen-Materials Interaction

Alternative title: Partnerskap mellom Japan og Norge på hydrogenpåvirkning av materialer.

Awarded: NOK 3.6 mill.

The Japanese community has come far in implementing the hydrogen economy and therefore has a stronger research competence and experience related to gaseous hydrogen as an energy carrier compared to Norway. In important aspect of is this is the safety. This includes to control the harmful influence that hydrogen may have on metallic materials, causing a deterioration in the mechanical properties which increases the risk of fracture and gas leakage. Therefore, with the vision of hydrogen as one of the main energy carriers in the future, the detrimental effects that atomic hydrogen from hydrogen gas may have on metallic materials, must be better understood and measured. Kyushu University and AIST in Fukuoka, Japan have world leading research groups on this research topic, and for the last 15 years SINTEF and NTNU have gradually developed a strong collaboration with these groups through RCN projects and PhD visits to Japan. H2NINJA is linked to four on going RCN research projects related to the hydrogen-materials topic. The project will be a key in the continued building of excellence together with Japan through activities that are not part of these projects as development of student courses and graduate student exchange. Furthermore, it will allow for increased exchange of PhD candidates and researchers, and an increased number of co-publications and joint workshops. Since 2019, SINTEF and NTNU have been engaged in research activities and projects related to the transportation of hydrogen gas through pipelines, an area in which Japan has not progressed as far. Unfortunately, the project landed in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in far less researcher and student exchange than we would have liked. A Ph.D. candidate from NTNU conducted parts of their project at Kyushu University from October '22 to January '23. In the fall of '23, a Japanese master's student carried out parts of their work at SINTEF for 2 months. We have also contributed to the organization of each other's international workshops. SINTEF co-organized two digital events at Kyushu University and AIST in '22 and '23, and Kyushu University co-organized and was present at SINTEF and NTNU's international, physical workshop in Trondheim on June 6th and 7th this year. In March '23, the project was also presented to the Japanese ambassador to Norway during their visit to SINTEF. The fruitful collaboration with Kyushu University in the H2-Ninja and related NFR-funded projects has led them to participate in a new KPN project, "Safety and Integrity of Hydrogen Transport Pipelines" (HyLINE II), commencing in January 2024. A key professor from Kyushu University has also agreed to sit on the scientific advisory committee in the new renewable center on hydrogen, FME HYDROGENi. It's worth mentioning that a group of SINTEF and NTNU researchers has been formally invited to Japan and Kyushu University for their physical international workshop on Hydrogen and Material Interaction in fall '24. This is a workshop for invitees only.

With the vision of Hydrogen as one of the main energy carriers in the future, the detrimental effects that atomic Hydrogen from Hydrogen gas has on metallic materials, must be better understood and quantitatively estimated to ensure a safe and economical implementation of the Hydrogen Economy. While both Japan and Norway has high competence on the topic, the Japanese community has come further in implementing the Hydrogen economy and thus has a stronger research competence and experience with atomic Hydrogen from pressurized H2-gas. SINTEF and NTNU on the other hand, have through a long-standing cooperation with the oil & gas sector, developed research competence on Hydrogen effects stemming from welding and from electrochemical processes such as corrosion and CP, which ensures complementarity to the project team. As Norway prepares for the Hydrogen Economy including transport of H2 gas, education and research collaboration with Kyushu University and AIST HydroMate, world leading partners on the core research topic, represents a huge potential upside for the national competence level and scientific excellence in education and research. With the H2-NINJA project, the partners will significantly expand and structure the existing collaboration with respect to, developing joint master courses, graduate student exchange, co-publications and joint workshops. Through the role that Kyushu University with AIST HydroMate have as an international hub for hydrogen-materials research, it will significantly improve the basis for planning joint projects initiatives for national and international funding schemes and ensure strong and long-lasting international collaboration.

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INTPART-International Partnerships for Excellent Education and Research