Material compatibility in hydrogen infrastructure: Challenges, advances, and future prospects

The adoption of hydrogen as a clean energy carrier depends heavily on the development of materials capable of enduring the extreme conditions associated with its production, storage, and transportation. This review critically evaluates the performance of metals, polymers, and composites in hydrogen-rich environments, focusing on degradation mechanisms such as hydrogen embrittlement, rapid gas decompression, and long-term fatigue. Metals like carbon steels and high-strength alloys can experience a 30–50 % loss in tensile strength due to hydrogen exposure, while polymers suffer from permeability increases and sealing degradation. Composite materials, though strong and lightweight, may lose up to 15 % of their mechanical properties over time in hydrogen environments. The review highlights current mitigation strategies including hydrogen-resistant alloys, polymer blends, protective coatings, composite liners and emerging technologies like predictive modeling and AI-based material design. With hydrogen production expected to reach 500 GW globally by 2030, improving material compatibility and developing international standards are essential for scaling hydrogen infrastructure safely and cost-effectively. This work presents an integrated analysis of material degradation mechanisms, highlights key challenges across metals, polymers, and composites in hydrogen environments, and explores recent innovations and future strategies to enhance durability and performance in hydrogen infrastructure. • Reviewed material failure mechanisms in hydrogen-rich environments. • Compared metal, polymer, and composite behavior under hydrogen exposure. • Analyzed rapid gas decompression and permeation in sealing materials. • Discussed recent advances in coatings, liners, and hydrogen-resistant materials. • Proposed future strategies for standardization and material integration.