DIFFUSION BARRIERS FOR PREVENTING HIGH TEMPERATURE HYDROGEN ATTACK

摘要

A method of protecting carbon and low-alloy steels from high temperature hydrogen attack. A carbon or low-alloy steel portion of a reactor system that is to be contacted with high pressure hydrogen at elevated temperatures is provided with an intermetallic, diffusion barrier layer that reduces the rate of hydrogen attack at least ten-fold compared to the steel portion without the diffusion barrier layer.