Envalior

Manufacturing lightweight and cost-effective tanks for hydrogen vehicles

As automakers advance hydrogen vehicle technology, ensuring the safety and durability of hydrogen fuel tanks is paramount. While High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) is commonly used in tank manufacturing, it requires thicker walls to meet permeation standards and is prone to blistering. Standard PA6 materials offer a cost-effective solution with excellent thermal resistance but may become brittle at sub-zero temperatures. Manufacturers looking to stay ahead of the competition need a thermoplastic solution that balances design, performance, and cost.

Our Durethan® and Akulon® Fuel Lock PA6 materials provide superior thermal stability, greater impact resistance down to -60°C, and better barrier performance than conventional PA6 alternatives. Suitable for both thermoset and thermoplastic composites, these materials ensure safe, lightweight, and sustainable pressurized hydrogen tanks.

Comparing Polyamide 6 Liners Over Metal and Polymer Alternatives

Steel, aluminum, and High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) are commonly used materials for hydrogen tanks, but each has limitations. Steel is three times heavier than plastic and more expensive, while aluminum is lighter than steel but still not as light as plastic. HDPE has higher permeation and a greater risk of blistering. Advanced Polyamide 6 (PA6) materials provide a superior alternative, offering lightweight durability, low permeation, excellent thermal performance, and cost-effective monolayer processing.

Advantages of PA6 Liners vs Metal Designs (T1-T3)

 
  • Up to 50% weight reduction, lowering CO2 emissions.
  • Single-step blow molding uses less energy than steel or aluminum processing.
  • Eliminates costly forming and welding steps.
  • Integrated design allows for molded valve ports, reducing complexity.

 

Advantages of PA6 Liners vs Alternative Polymer Liners (T4)

  • Superior impermeability to natural gas, enabling thinner walls and increased capacity (100x greater than HDPE, 10x greater than POM).
  • Excellent low-temperature impact performance, safe operation and filling at -40°C.
  • Better thermal stability, reducing curing time for composite reinforcement.
  • High dimensional stability ensures quality pinch welds during molding.

Explore Envalior grades for hydrogen tanks

Akulon® Fuel Lock FLX-LP (K-X08836)

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"Akulon® is our family of high performance polyamide 6 and polyamide 66 materials, used by customers across the world in applications ranging from automotive, electronics & electrical, to furniture and packaging."

"We offer Akulon® grades for injection molding, blow molding and extrusion (including barrier film, stock shapes, convoluted tubes, and mono and multi filament)."

"In molded parts the material offers an excellent balance of easy design and processing with outstanding mechanical properties over a wide temperature range and in diverse conditions. Meanwhile for extrusion the strength, resilience and easy processing of Akulon® sets the market standards."

  • Injection Molding

Akulon® Fuel Lock FLE40-HP

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"Akulon® is our family of high performance polyamide 6 and polyamide 66 materials, used by customers across the world in applications ranging from automotive, electronics & electrical, to furniture and packaging."

"We offer Akulon® grades for injection molding, blow molding and extrusion (including barrier film, stock shapes, convoluted tubes, and mono and multi filament)."

"In molded parts the material offers an excellent balance of easy design and processing with outstanding mechanical properties over a wide temperature range and in diverse conditions. Meanwhile for extrusion the strength, resilience and easy processing of Akulon® sets the market standards."

  • Low fuel permeation PA6 suitable for use in blow molding

Durethan® BC550Z DUSXBL

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"Durethan® is the trade name for our range of engineering thermoplastics based on polyamide 6 and polyamide 66. These polyamides are partially crystalline thermoplastics which offer an ideal combination of properties, especially for technical applications. They provide high mechanical strength and stiffness, good dielectric properties, high resistance to both heat and chemical attack, and good friction and wear properties."

  • Unreinforced
  • Blow Molding Grade
  • Heat Stabilized
  • Improved Impact
  • "Heat stabilized"

Browse hydrogen tanks applications

Hydrogen pressure vessel

Automotive | Engine Fuel System

70% lighter than conventional steel tanks ; Cost-effective solution due to excellent processability ;High impact resistance and high elongation down to -60°C (-76°F) ;Guaranteed to last for the lifetime of the product

Hydrogen fuel cells

Automotive | Drivetrain

Fuel cell systems need to use materials that are pure. If not, ion leaching will occur which will poison the catalyst & clog the membrane, lead to life time & efficiency drop of fuel cell system; Moreover, material with excellent hydrolytic and heat aging resistance is highly favorable to ensure its life time performance. Xytron™, our high-performance PPS compound, offers the high purity and superior mechanical performance needed to achieve the industry’s lowest ion leaching performance at temperatures up to 120°C, and highest hydrolytic and chemical resistance. This enables OEMs to develop long-lasting, highly efficient PEMFCs that lower the cost per kilometer and total cost of ownership for end users.

Contact us for more information

Direct and easy access to our broad portfolio of high-performance plastics: request a quote or order a sample. You can also simply ask our Hydrogen Tanks experts.

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