Properties of Materials for Use in Liquid Hydrogen Containment Vessels

Abstract

This paper reviews the opportunities available for hydrogen fuelled transport systems and compares the advantages of gaseous and liquid hydrogen fuels. In addition, the paper outlines the requirements for a container system for hydrogen in hulk gaseous and liquid form. The available data base on the mechanical properties of organic material based composite materials is reviewed and results are presented of the effects of short term and long term exposure to liquid hydrogen. Few data have been published since 1964 and although storage vessels built from glass fabric reinforced composites would have little advantage over metallic materials, there are no data available on the properties of carbon-fibre composites in liquid hydrogen. Evidence is available to suggest that there is a degradation in properties that results from the effect of liquid hydrogen over and above the effect of temperature. It is concluded that there is an urgent need to evaluate modern matrix systems, reinforced with carbon fibres, using liquid hydrogen as the test environment.