WP1. Project Coordination
The main objectives of this WP are to coordinate the different work packages, organisate and manage of the progress of all tasks to ensure a successful on-time delivery of all project reports and other necessary. In addition, partners will focus on disseminating the project results to the scientific & industrial community, and to the public.
WP2. Raw material characterisation
This WP will focus on the selection of different steels: two coated cold rolled steels and two coated hot stamped steels. A complete characterisation in terms of mechanical properties and hydrogen content of theses steels will be performed. The characterisation done in this WP will be the basis to determine the hydrogen threshold content as a function of the microstructure and the coating.
WP3. Hydrogen charging optimisation and susceptibility characterisation
The main objectives of this WP are to optimise the charging method or the charging protocol to apply to each type of steel: hot charging for press hardened steels and electrochemical charging for cold rolled steels. This WP also focuses in studying the effect of charging parameters on hydrogen content and to identify the trapping energy, characterising the hydrogen solubility and permeability of the studied steel grades and measuring electrochemical permeation using a novel solid-state gas sensor.
WP4. Hydrogen embrittlement laboratory tests
The main objective of this WP is to study the effect of internal and external hydrogen content on the mechanical properties of CR-AHSS and PHS. The external hydrogen effect will be evaluated through immersion tests and salt spray corrosion tests. Fracture maps will be drawn and compared between the different tests and the data will be evaluated to correlate the stress distribution, steel grade, mechanical properties and hydrogen content.
WP5. Effect on hydrogen on industrial processing
In this WP partners will define the critical hydrogen level that may lead to significant HE during manufacturing processes of the studied steels and set up a novel solid-state gas sensor to work in real plant conditions.
WP6. Life testing
In this WP, a For-Life test of different steel samples will be tested. The results of this test will be analysed together with the results from the cyclic corrosion test of damaged samples by stone chipping. After the For-Life test and cyclic corrosion test, the hydrogen uptake will be measured.
WP7. Definition of HE testing methodologies and related paper quality control production procedures
The main objectives of this WP are to provide a guideline to the industry to prevent HE from occurring during fabrication and life of vehicles, to identify suitable testing methods to evaluate HE susceptibility of steels and to define an agreed quality acceptance test procedure to evaluate steel susceptibility to hydrogen embrittlement during manufacturing process.