Membrane–electrode assemblies for optimized green hydrogen generation

Improved design of membrane–electrode assemblies, the main component of electrolyzer stacks, which increases efficiency and reduces environmental impact in green hydrogen generation, while being compatible with industrial-scale up.

Market need: Green hydrogen production by electrolysis uses cell stacks that contain membrane–electrode assemblies (MEAs) including specific catalysts. Traditionally, these catalysts are manufactured by wet processes and they are incorporated into MEAs using catalyst inks. This makes it difficult to optimize their formulation and limits efficiency, durability, and industrial scale-up, in addition to the environmental issues associated with solvent use.

Proposed solution: High-performance MEAs with an innovative architecture in which the catalysts are optimally incorporated at the interfaces between the ion-exchange membrane and the porous supports that act both as electrodes and as liquid and gas diffusers. A bottom-up vapor-phase deposition method, compatible with industrial scale-up, is used, enabling the application of highly active catalyst formulations in a single step (catalyst synthesis and deposition in a single process) and eliminating ionomers and solvents, thereby minimizing environmental impact, reducing active material consumption, and improving efficiency and stability.

Competitive advantages

Ionomer-free, low–catalyst-loading membrane–electrode assemblies with high electrochemical performance.
Single-step synthesis and incorporation of catalysts using highly reproducible, environmentally friendly bottom-up methods.
Compatible with industrial scale-up.
Compatible with both alkaline and acidic electrolysis.