Dresden 2026 – scientific programme

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MM: Fachverband Metall- und Materialphysik

MM 39: Hydrogen in Materials II

MM 39.1: Talk

Friday, March 13, 2026, 10:15–10:30, SCH/A215

Coulometric and (Magneto-)Optical Methods for Studying Hydrogen Absorption into Metals — •Felix Engelhardt, Karin Leistner, and Markus Gößler — Chemnitz University of Technology, 09107 Chemnitz, Germany

Hydrogen absorption into metals like palladium is a widely studied process with applications in hydrogen sensors, hydrogen storage systems, and recently magneto-ionics^[1,2]. A major challenge in this field is to accurately quantify the hydrogen concentration within the metal. Traditionally, complex techniques such as nuclear reaction analysis or neutron scattering are used for this purpose. Alternatively, coulometric and (magneto-)optical methods are possible and offer the advantages of a simpler setup and operation under ambient conditions. We revisit the coulometric quantification of electrochemically absorbed hydrogen in metals and metallic multilayers, as well as the analysis of hydrogen absorption kinetics. Potential- and time-dependent coulometry was performed in a liquid-electrolyte flow cell designed to avoid side reactions. Complementary measurements of (magneto-)optical reflectivity of the metals upon hydrogen absorption were carried out to support findings from electrochemical methods. This presentation highlights common pitfalls in hydrogen absorption analysis and shows that, when these errors are minimized, the coulometry method yields accurate average hydrogen concentrations and reliable kinetic data. These results encourage the use of electrochemical methods in catalysis and hydrogen research. ^[1]M. Bischoff et al., Adv. Funct. Mater. 2024, 34, 2405323 ^[2]Huang, M. et al., Nat. Nanotechnol. 2021, 16, 981

Keywords: Coulometry; Electrochemical hydrogen absorption; Flow cell; Hydrogen concentration