University of Oxford’s Advanced Hydrogen Diffusion Research Powered by Hiden’s TDSLab Series
A recent study by Prof. Emilio Martinez-Pañeda and Dr. Alfredo, researchers at the University of Oxford, leverages Hiden Analytical’s TDSLab series to advance hydrogen diffusivity research through isothermal desorption spectroscopy (ITDS).
Unlike traditional electrochemical permeation (EP), ITDS measures hydrogen desorption in an ultra-high vacuum (UHV) environment, providing a cleaner, more precise analysis of hydrogen diffusion without interference from electrochemical surface effects. This makes it especially effective for fast-diffusing materials, like pure iron, where EP often struggles with boundary-condition variability.
The TDSLab system from Hiden has been instrumental in overcoming typical challenges associated with UHV, such as maintaining high stability and reducing external contamination. Its fast pumping and exceptional sensitivity allow for hydrogen detection at ultra-low concentrations, achieving accurate measurements even in thin samples and across a wide temperature range. This advanced setup enables consistent, high-temperature measurements, unlocking deeper insights into temperature-dependent hydrogen diffusion—something that’s challenging to achieve with EP.
Prof. Martinez-Pañeda, an Associate Professor known for his work on environmentally assisted cracking, and Dr. Alfredo, a postdoctoral researcher in hydrogen embrittlement, utilized the TDSLab’s capabilities to achieve groundbreaking consistency and accuracy in hydrogen diffusivity measurements.
Read the full article here where Emilio Martinez-Pañeda & Alfredo Zafra further discuss the advantages of ITDS over EP, ITDS’s impact on hydrogen diffusion studies, technology contributions and future applications of ITDS.
References:
Zafra, A., Harris, Z., Korec, E., & Martínez-Pañeda, E. (2023) ‘On the relative efficacy of electropermeation and isothermal desorption approaches for measuring hydrogen diffusivity’, International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 48(3), pp. 1218-1233. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijhydene.2022.10.025
Zafra, A., Harris, Z., Sun, C., & Martínez-Pañeda, E. (2022) ‘Comparison of hydrogen diffusivities measured by electrochemical permeation and temperature-programmed desorption in cold-rolled pure iron’, Journal of Natural Gas Science and Engineering, 98, p. 104365. DOI: 10.1016/j.jngse.2021.104365
