August 9, 2004 [SolarAccess.com] Materials used for high-pressure hydrogen generators and fuel cells tend to get brittle and crack. Because the push is on for a hydrogen economy, the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) has proposed a committee to study the corrosion of metals and the cracking problems that materials exposed to hydrogen encounter. The purpose of the new task group is to review potential problems with hydrogen as an energy source and to develop test methods and other standards that deal with the issues involved in using hydrogen in conjunction with other materials. All interested parties are invited to attend the first meeting of this task group during the ASTM November Committee Week meeting in Washington D.C.
