Green hydrogen offers enormous opportunities for Germany as an energy and mobility location. It might be produced carbon-neutrally from renewable electricity by electrolysis and stored, transported or consumed as needed. For example, it can be used in fuel cells to generate electricity and heat or in industrial processes. In the process of implementing the hydrogen economy, polymer materials are also increasingly being equipped with protection against hydrogen permeation. Gas barrier coatings, which have to meet complex requirement profiles, are used for this purpose. They should achieve high gas barrier effects, be proparable at low temperatures, and withstand fluctuations in both external temperature and gas pressure. Although much is known about gas transmission through coating materials, the elongation of coatings has rarely been considered in previous investigations.

As part of a research project funded by the Sächsische Aufbaubank (SAB), IOM plans to install a measuring system to systematically collect data on the effect of uniaxial strain on the gas barrier effect of coatings. Coating methods using light, plasmas or ion beam assistance at low temperatures will be investigated. Extensive surface analysis at the IOM allows characterization of these materials in terms of chemical composition, density and structural properties, providing a deeper understanding of the structure permeation relationships.

The goal is to further utilize the data collected in the research project in materials research in order to be able to derive the influence of the conditions during layer production on the gas barrier effect and, as a result, to develop tailored technologies for specific applications. With this project, the IOM strengthens its competence in the field of gas barrier coatings and plans to expand its activities in this area. The institute has many years of experience in the development of gas barrier layers. It has developed a roll-to-roll technology for production of encapsulation films for flexible photovoltaic modules in recent years. These special films protect the modules from outdoor weathering conditions for many years and are thus expected to contribute to the development of previously unusable areas for the generation of solar power.