Research Topics
International Research Center for Hydrogen Energy

International Institute for Carbon-Neutral Energy Research
Hydrogen Compatible Materials and Interfaces Division

Masanobu KUBOTA

Masaki TAJIMA(Professor)(Visiting Professor)

Studies on hydrogen-induced degradationof materials strength enables optimization of
the cost, performance, and safety of hydrogensystems

Research on the low-carbon hydrogen production
technologies, using renewable energy and town gas, etc.
The laboratory was launched in April 2011 as a Japan Gas Association endowed chair
program. The association believes that it can contribute towards the ushering in of ahydrogen-powered society, by further improving its extensive gasification technologies intown gas production. Automakers and energy companies aim to build hydrogen stations, akey factor in realizing a hydrogen-based society, by 2015 when launch of mass-produced
fuel cell vehicles begins. The laboratory will be involved in research into hydrogen production
technologies indispensable to the creation of a society powered by hydrogen, especiallyrenewable energy sources that offer hope for future commercialization and hydrogenproduction from low hydrocarbon material such as town gas. Our research into hydrogenproduction technologies including that into a system for the creation of a hydrogen-basedsociety is will be carried out through collaboration with other laboratories in the Departmentof Mechanical Engineering, and the International Research Center for Hydrogen Energy.

Hydrogen is one of promising solutions to realize sustainable and environmental-friendly society.
However, hydrogen can degrade material strength. Therefore, it is very important to study how tosafely use materials in hydrogen environment. For this objective, we carry out a variety of material
testing under the effect of hydrogen. Based on the experiments, we are aiming at elucidation ofmechanisms that hydrogen reduces material strength. Ultimately, predictive model of hydrogen-induced
degradation of material strength will be established in collaboration with computation. When considering
practical design of hydrogen equipment, many kinds of material properties are required such as highcycle fatigue, fretting fatigue, tensile properties, crack growth properties, fracture toughness, etc.
Through these evaluations, we take a part in a development of new hydrogen equipment such aspressure gauge, strain gauge, hydrogenpacking, etc. Furthermore, a nextgeneration high-strength steel is alsostudied. The figure shows the result offatigue test of an ultra-fine grain stainless
Ultra-fine grainsteel, which crystal grain size is roughly
1.8 times higher
1/30 of that of common engineering steels(1μm). As the result of grain refinement,
Existing material
the material has 1.8 times higher fatiguestrength. The result clearly indicates agreat potential of the ultra-fine grain steel
to be next-generation high-strength steel.

Main research themes・Technologies for hydrogen production frombiomass that is considered carbon neutral(wood, agricultural residue, sludge, etc.)
・Integration with existing hydrogen production
technologies such as those utilizing materials
listed above (i.e. wood, agricultural residue,sludge, etc.) and town gas
・Investigation into the introduction ofdomestic and overseas hydrogen production
technologies that use renewable energy insocial systems
・Elemental and fundamental technologies in theoverall technological development for hydrogenproduction, transportation and storage systems
・Investigation into systems for the creation ofhydrogen-based society

Kyushu University Inamori Frontier Research Center
Frontier Energy Research Division

Latest text book on

Michihisa KOYAMA(Professor)

Hydrogen Energy Engineering:
A Japanese Perspective

Takayoshi ISHIMOTO(ca. 600 pages)
Just published from Springer (2016).

(Assistant Professor)▶http://inamori-frontier.kyushu-u.ac.jp/energy/index-j.html

Editors: Sasaki, K., Li, H.-W., Hayashi, A., Yamabe, J., Ogura, T.,
Lyth, S.M. (Eds.)

Frontier Energy Technologies for Sustainable Society
We are conducting research on materials
for future energy technologies using
theoretical approaches. Understanding
phenomena at surface and nano-interface
is essential for developing highly functionalmaterials for future energy technologies
such as fuel cells, batteries, photovoltaics, biomass utilization, and hydrogen storage materials.

The first book to describe not
only the fundamental principles
of hydrogen energy, but also
including the latest researchand development trends towardpractical applications.

●Theoretical Study on Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFC)

SOFC is a highly efficient energy conversion technology. For the higher performance anddurability of SOFCs, we are developing platform technologies for designing materials andmicrostructure of porous electrodes by clarifying multi-scale and multi-physics phenomena
in complex porous electrode systems. For this purpose, validations of theoretical
approaches collaborating with experimental observations are important.

Equips readers to understandthe state of the art of researchand development in hydrogenenergy technologies.
Compiles contributions byindustr y exper ts, as well asactive scientists in the world’s
largest hydrogen energy research
center at Kyushu University,Japan.
(http://www.springer.com/la/book/9784431560401)●Theoretical Study on Low Temperature Fuel Cells

We are applying a variety of computational chemistry methods on the practical issues,
such as degradation and catalyst design, as well as fundamental issues in polymer
electrolyte fuel cell and alkaline fuel cell.

●Theoretical Study on Future Energy Technologies

To understand and overcome the issues in future energy technologies such as battery,
photovoltaics, biomass utilization, hydrogen storage materials, functional catalysts, weare challenging theoretical materials design collaborating with researchers from otherinstitutes and industries.

●Grand Design of Carbon-Neutral Society

We are developing tools for envisioning the carbon-neutral sustainable society withfeasible technologies collaborating with researchers from a variety of backgrounds. We
are discussing future visions free from a priori bias on specific technologies.

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