Recent insights into hydrogen-induced blister fracture of rubber sealing materials: An in-depth examination

Rubber sealing components are essential and integral to high-pressure hydrogen systems, used in various stages, including hydrogen production, storage, transportation, refueling, and utilization. Nevertheless, in the high-pressure hydrogen environment, rubber sealing materials are prone to hydrogen-induced blister fracture, which exacerbates the degradation of rubber material properties and ultimately leads to seal failures, thereby compromising the overall safety and reliability of the hydrogen system. Therefore, it is imperative to investigate hydrogen-induced blister fracture in rubber sealing materials to ensure hydrogen systems' safe and dependable operation. Firstly, this review systematically elucidates the mechanisms behind hydrogen-induced blister fracture in rubber, encompassing the blister initiation upon a single hydrogen exposure and the blister evolution under cyclic hydrogen exposure. Subsequently, a comprehensive overview of the impact of experimental conditions on hydrogen-induced blister fracture in rubber, encompassing factors such as hydrogen pressure, decompression rate, test temperature, specimen thickness, and mechanical load. Furthermore, the influence of specimen characteristics (e.g., rubber types, filler properties, cavity feature parameters, and crosslink density) on hydrogen-induced blister fracture in rubber is well discussed. Finally, this review presents recommendations based on the latest advancements in the research of hydrogen-induced blister fracture in rubber, emphasizing standardizing testing and evaluation methods for rubber blister fracture. Moreover, it is also recommended to accelerate the exploration of the rubber service performance under extreme conditions, developing techniques for microstructure modulation to enhance the resistance against hydrogen-induced blister fracture of rubber, unraveling the interconnections among various rubber-hydrogen compatibility mechanisms, and considering the compression state and field performance of rubber O-rings.