Unique experiment helps reveal how hydrogen affects the properties of metals

10. 07. 2026

Researchers from the Neutron Physics Laboratory at the Nuclear Physics Institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences (NPI CAS), led by Dr Gergely Farkas, carried out a unique experiment in collaboration with partners from the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum (MLZ) in Garching, Germany (Technical University of Munich). The experiment focused on investigating the behaviour of hydrogen in metallic materials. It represents an excellent example of international collaboration in advanced materials research, with potential applications in the development of more durable structural materials for the energy and aerospace sectors.

The aim of the experiment was to gain a better understanding of how hydrogen atoms behave inside metallic alloys. Hydrogen can penetrate the crystal structure of metals and significantly influence their properties, including strength, durability, and long-term performance.

To achieve this, the researchers combined two advanced experimental techniques: neutron diffraction, which allows changes in a material's crystal structure to be monitored, and thermal desorption spectroscopy (TDS), which measures the amount of hydrogen released from a material during controlled heating.

The experiment was performed in situ on the TKSN-400 neutron diffractometer at the NPL CANAM laboratory in Řež. The investigated material was a nickel-based superalloy that had been previously charged with hydrogen. The measurements showed that even a small amount of hydrogen caused a slight but measurable expansion of the material's crystal lattice.

The key innovation of the experiment was the integration of both techniques into a single measurement. This approach is expected to enable researchers to directly determine the amount of hydrogen dissolved between metal atoms (so-called interstitial hydrogen) and distinguish it from hydrogen trapped at various defects within the material. Such knowledge is essential for understanding how hydrogen affects the lifetime and reliability of metallic materials.

According to the authors, no similar combination of neutron diffraction and thermal desorption spectroscopy within a single in situ experiment has previously been reported in scientific literature. If confirmed by further studies, this new approach could make a significant contribution both to fundamental materials research and to the development of more resilient materials for industrial applications.

Unique experiment helps reveal how hydrogen affects the properties of metals

IMG_7783

IMG_9625

Read also