IRES: EXPLORING INNOVATIONS IN HYDROGEN TECHNOLOGIES AT A HYDROGEN SHIP TECHNOLOGY CENTER

This project provides U.S. students with an immersive international research experience focused on advancing hydrogen technologies for clean transportation. The Hydrogen Ship Technology Center (HSTC) at Pusan National University in South Korea is one of the few global research hubs with the infrastructure, industry partnerships, and technical expertise to support full-scale development and testing of liquid hydrogen (LH₂) systems for transportation. By working directly at HSTC, the program gives U.S. students access to a world-class research environment where they contribute to technologies critical to next-generation zero-emission vehicles in shipping, aviation, and heavy-duty logistics. Over ten weeks each summer, students work alongside Korean researchers and are jointly mentored by faculty from the University of Connecticut and Pusan National University, while building technical skills and gaining experience in international collaboration and scientific communication. The project focuses on both fundamental and applied research to address key challenges in LH₂-based transportation. Students investigate fuel cell systems by examining catalyst layer structure, membrane durability, and thermal and water regulation in proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). In the area of cryogenic storage, they evaluate insulation materials to reduce boil-off losses and study the structural integrity and thermal behavior of double-walled vacuum-insulated tanks. Research on material degradation includes assessing hydrogen embrittlement in metals and fiber-reinforced composites under cryogenic exposure through mechanical testing and microstructural evaluation. Students also explore recovery of cold energy from boil-off gas for use in vehicle-scale auxiliary cooling systems. Research activities include full-scale experimentation, material testing, thermal-fluid modeling, and finite element simulations. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.