High-performance catalysts and improved manufacturing processes for the next generation of polymer electrolyte membrane water electrolyzers

HoKaWe's goal is to achieve a leap in the design and manufacture of high-performance catalysts and new polymers for the catalyst layers in polymer electrolyte membrane water electrolysis (PEMWE). The new catalysts are expected to enable higher conversion efficiencies at lower costs and longer lifetimes. To enable rapid market introduction of the new catalysts and polymers, HoKaWe is developing manufacturing processes up to pilot scale. In addition, new high-throughput manufacturing processes developed by HI ERN for the production of catalyst layers are being investigated and evaluated with a view to large-scale application. Pilot-scale material fabrication and the development of high-throughput fabrication processes will thus address key challenges for early market penetration of GW-scale PEMWEs.
To increase the fundamental understanding and the targeted further development of the MEAs, the electrochemical data are combined with the structural parameters, using ex-situ methods (Umicore, 3M, HI ERN), in a phenomenological 5-layer model. Thus, a complete evaluation of the new catalysts up to long-term studies in single cell tests takes place in HoKaWe. The general function of the catalyst materials investigated in this project has already been demonstrated in a laboratory environment (TRL 3). As a goal of the project, a functioning pilot plant for catalyst production is being tested for the PEMWE operating environment (TRL 6).