Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corporation (NSSMC) has developed the new stainless steel, HRX19TM, for use in high-pressure hydrogen environments and launched the sales in combination with Nippon Steel & Sumikin Stainless Steel Pipe Co. (NSSP). HRX19 has already been used for heat exchangers, joints and valves of commercial-use hydrogen stations.
HRX19 will be shown to the specialists and the public for the first time at the 11th International Hydrogen & Fuel Cell Expo, to be held at the Tokyo Big Sight on 25–27 February 2015. This is a high-strength austenitic stainless steel and is manufactured under conditions of full integration from raw materials procurement to final processing, enabling NSSMC to guarantee quality.
HRX19 has three distinctive features: excellent resistance to hydrogen gas embrittlement, high strength and excellent weldability. This steel can contribute to reduction of costs and the improvement of maintainability and safety in constructing hydrogen stations.
HRX19 has already been adopted for commercial hydrogen stations constructed by Iwatani Corporation, Tokyo Gas Co., and other companies in Japan.
