Hydrogen-cryogenic distillation columns having all of the following characteristics: a. Designed for operation at internal temperatures of 35 K (-238 ºC) or less; b. Designed for operation at internal pressures of 0.5 to 5 MPa; c. Constructed of either: 1. Stainless steel of the 300 series with low sulfur content and with an austenitic ASTM (or equivalent standard) grain size number of 5 or greater; or 2. Equivalent materials which are both cryogenic and H2-compatible; and d. With internal diameters of 1 m or greater and effective lengths of 5 m or greater.