Uploaded May 2025 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
Explore the fascinating history and industrial impact of hydrogen embrittlement in this episode of the Engineering Understood podcast from TWI Ltd. Host Sophie Hobbs is joined by Paul Woollin to break down TWI’s pivotal research, challenges, and future developments in the field.
Here’s what you’ll learn in this episode:
- The basics of hydrogen embrittlement and why it matters for industries using metals.
- Key moments in TWI’s 80-year journey with hydrogen embrittlement, including early work on Liberty Ships and weld testing methods.
- How real-world industrial challenges, such as oil and gas failures, shaped breakthrough research and standards for hydrogen embrittlement prevention.
- The shift in focus over the decades from heat affected zones to weld metals, and the evolving understanding of microstructural features linked to embrittlement.
- Modern developments, including applications in the hydrogen economy, challenges with new materials like additively manufactured alloys, and why ongoing collaboration and simulation are critical for the future.
Timestamps:
00:00 Hydrogen Economy and Metal Corrosion
07:56 Post-War Ship Welding Challenges
14:05 Hydrogen Measurement and Control Methods
17:55 Hydrogen Crack Assessment in Welding
25:49 Localized Hydrogen Embrittlement Issues
28:28 Understanding Hydrogen Embrittlement Mechanisms
34:23 Cathodic Protection and Hydrogen Risks
37:58 Hydrogen Embrittlement Pressure Testing Challenge
45:03 Hydrogen Embrittlement Challenges in Engineering
52:39 Crack Propagation in Steel Welds
58:11 Hydrogen Economy Challenges and Solutions
01:02:38 Hydrogen's Role in Future Energy
01:07:33 Additive Manufacturing Defects Challenges
01:11:44 Advanced Monitoring in Cars vs. Structures
01:17:35 Welding Solutions and Collaboration Hub
Check out the TWI Global website or TWI Digital Library for access to the papers and research mentioned in this episode.
For additional queries and information, contact us at contactus@twi.co.uk
SOCIAL CHANNELS
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/twi
Facebook: facebook.com/TwiLtd
X: https://x.com/twi_ltd
Instagram: instagram.com/twi_ltd
Flickr: flickr.com/photos/twiltd
#HydrogenEmbrittlement
#MaterialsScience
#HydrogenEconomy
#twiltd
Explore the fascinating history and industrial impact of hydrogen embrittlement in this episode of the Engineering Understood podcast from TWI Ltd. Host Sophie Hobbs is joined by Paul Woollin to break down TWI’s pivotal research, challenges, and future developments in the field.
Here’s what you’ll learn in this episode:
- The basics of hydrogen embrittlement and why it matters for industries using metals.
- Key moments in TWI’s 80-year journey with hydrogen embrittlement, including early work on Liberty Ships and weld testing methods.
- How real-world industrial challenges, such as oil and gas failures, shaped breakthrough research and standards for hydrogen embrittlement prevention.
- The shift in focus over the decades from heat affected zones to weld metals, and the evolving understanding of microstructural features linked to embrittlement.
- Modern developments, including applications in the hydrogen economy, challenges with new materials like additively manufactured alloys, and why ongoing collaboration and simulation are critical for the future.
Timestamps:
00:00 Hydrogen Economy and Metal Corrosion
07:56 Post-War Ship Welding Challenges
14:05 Hydrogen Measurement and Control Methods
17:55 Hydrogen Crack Assessment in Welding
25:49 Localized Hydrogen Embrittlement Issues
28:28 Understanding Hydrogen Embrittlement Mechanisms
34:23 Cathodic Protection and Hydrogen Risks
37:58 Hydrogen Embrittlement Pressure Testing Challenge
45:03 Hydrogen Embrittlement Challenges in Engineering
52:39 Crack Propagation in Steel Welds
58:11 Hydrogen Economy Challenges and Solutions
01:02:38 Hydrogen's Role in Future Energy
01:07:33 Additive Manufacturing Defects Challenges
01:11:44 Advanced Monitoring in Cars vs. Structures
01:17:35 Welding Solutions and Collaboration Hub
Check out the TWI Global website or TWI Digital Library for access to the papers and research mentioned in this episode.
For additional queries and information, contact us at contactus@twi.co.uk
SOCIAL CHANNELS
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/twi
Facebook: facebook.com/TwiLtd
X: https://x.com/twi_ltd
Instagram: instagram.com/twi_ltd
Flickr: flickr.com/photos/twiltd
#HydrogenEmbrittlement
#MaterialsScience
#HydrogenEconomy
#twiltd
