In the context of a circular global economy, the scarcity of materials and the durability of structures must be taken into account by citizens, and therefore by researchers. In many fields of application, feedback on the in-service behavior of structures shows that the corrosion resistance of the materials used remains a major problem in many conditions of use. Building a model for predicting the service life of structures is an essential challenge that meets an industrial and societal need, in terms of aiding the selection and design of materials, as well as the design, use and maintenance of systems and structures. Based on an understanding of corrosion mechanisms, this means identifying indicators of damage and material performance, and proposing physically-based damage equations. Today, when it comes to corrosion mechanisms, the focus is generally on microstructure/environment/stress state couplings. However, for several years now, Cirimat has been working on the effect of hydrogen on corrosion mechanisms: results have shown that hydrogen significantly accelerates corrosion kinetics. This hydrogen/corrosion coupling issue needs to be integrated into the prediction of the ageing and lifetime of products and production tools alike, and concerns all industrial sectors. This is even more true today, with the development of a hydrogen-based economy associated with hydrogen production, transport and storage systems, where the material(s) used may be subject to corrosion in the presence of hydrogen gas or corrosion-induced hydrogen in aqueous solution. The aim of this thesis is to propose a model for predicting the service life of structures exposed to this corrosion/hydrogen coupling situation.
This thesis has been selected by the Strategic Orientation Committee of the Institut Carnot Chimie Balard Cirimat, which brings together a large panel of experts from industry who have noted the major scientific, technological and industrial interest of this thesis project. Within the framework of the thesis, the work will focus on aluminum alloys and will consider corrosion conditions typical of the aeronautics and transport industries. The aim is to propose a model that can be transposed to other materials and application sectors. The methodology adopted to carry out this work can be described in three phases:
– phase 1: Identification of critical microstructural parameters with regard to hydrogen/corrosion coupling, based on a controlled multi-scale approach.
– phase 2: Identification of damage indicators reflecting the effects of hydrogen on the corrosion behavior of materials, and of performance indicators.
– phase 3: Formulation of damage equations

Keywords:

hydrogen, corrosion, lifetime prediction, model.

CONTACTS :

Christine Blanc – +33 (0)5 34 32 34 07 – christine.blanc@toulouse-inp.fr

Beginning:

1st october 2024

To apply:

Applicants must have a significant knowledge concerning material sciences and corrosion phenomena. The internship corresponds to an experimental work.

Laboratory:

CIRIMAT located in ENSIACET/Toulouse INP

Salary:

2610 € gross / month which equals a salary of 2044 € net / month before taxes