Vítkovice Cylinders, the world leader in the production of seamless steel cylinders, has started the development of a key
innovation for the development of the hydrogen economy and industrial gas storage in cooperation with the CTU UCEEB. Within
three years, a prototype of a steel cylinder with an inner polymer layer will be developed that will significantly increase
the safety, durability, cleanliness and efficiency of the storage and transport of gases used in industry and other sectors.
Thanks to the application of a special polymer layer developed by the Nanomaterials and Biotechnology research team at CTU UCEEB, the innovative steel cylinders
will offer characteristics comparable to expensive composite alternatives, but at a price many times lower. The main benefit
of the new technology will be the synergistic use of the advantages of low cost, unrivalled mechanical durability and easier
recycling of steel cylinders, combined with the benefits of composite cylinders that do not corrode, do not contaminate the
stored gas and are also capable of storing gases such as hydrogen. The consequence will be a significant increase in the lifetime
of the cylinders and their protection against corrosive effects, hydrogen embrittlement and permeability of gas molecules,
which are key factors for the safe handling of hydrogen.
For industry, energy and logistics companies, this innovation will provide an ideal solution for industrial and bulk gas
storage. Our research will thus contribute to a more massive expansion of hydrogen technologies to a wide range of end-users
and to the fulfilment of strategic plans such as the Hydrogen Strategy of the Czech Republic, which foresees that hydrogen
will replace part of fossil fuels in transport, will be a carrier for transport and energy storage, a raw material for the
chemical industry and a heat source for specific technologies.