香港大学机械工程系黄铭新教授团队研发出一种名为SS-H2的新型不锈钢，具有突破性的耐腐蚀性能[1]。这种材料能够在高达1700毫伏的电位下抵抗氯化物腐蚀[1]，远超传统不锈钢约1000毫伏的耐蚀极限[1]。
该新钢采用"顺序双钝化策略"实现超强耐腐蚀性能，通过从约720毫伏开始形成锰基第二保护层来增强防护能力[1]。在绿色氢气生产领域，SS-H2可用于替代电解槽中目前昂贵的钛、金和铂金部件[1]，从而将结构材料成本降低约40倍[1]。以一套10兆瓦PEM电解槽系统为例，其总成本约为港币1780万元，其中结构部件占总成本的53%[1]。
这项研究历时近6年完成[1]，研究成果已发表在《Materials Today》期刊，论文标题为《A sequential dual-passivation strategy for designing stainless steel used above water oxidation》[1]。该团队已在多个国家申请专利保护，其中2项已获授权[1]，并已与内地工厂开展合作进行吨级SS-H2基金属丝的生产[1]。
A team led by Professor Wong Ming-sun from the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Hong Kong has developed a novel stainless steel designated SS-H2 that demonstrates exceptional resistance to chloride corrosion at electrochemical potentials reaching 1700 mV [1]. This performance significantly exceeds the approximately 1000 mV limit of conventional stainless steels, opening new possibilities for industrial applications in green hydrogen production [1].
The breakthrough relies on a "sequential dual-passivation strategy" that forms a manganese-based secondary protective layer beginning at around 720 mV [1]. By leveraging this mechanism, the new material can replace expensive titanium, gold, and platinum components currently used in electrolyzers [1]. In a 10-megawatt PEM electrolyzer system costing approximately HKD 17.8 million, structural materials account for 53 percent of total expenses [1]. The introduction of SS-H2 could reduce structural material costs by roughly 40-fold, delivering substantial economic benefits [1].
The research, conducted over nearly six years, has resulted in a publication in Materials Today titled "A sequential dual-passivation strategy for designing stainless steel used above water oxidation" [1]. The team has secured patents in multiple countries, with two already granted [1]. Additionally, the researchers have begun collaborating with mainland factories to produce ton-scale quantities of SS-H2-based metal wire [1].