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New project in Chemnitz: Sustainable electrolysis for green hydrogen!
Chemnitz University of Technology is researching fluorine-free membranes for water electrolysis in the BMBF-funded FFWD project for green hydrogen production.
New project in Chemnitz: Sustainable electrolysis for green hydrogen!
Chemnitz University of Technology is part of an innovative joint project to develop technologies for water electrolysis, which is called “Fluorine-free water electrolysis development (FFWD)”. Funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, this project brings together several important partners, including the University of Freiburg, the Université de Lorraine, the start-up ionysis and the electrolyzer manufacturer Elogen. The main goal is to develop fluorine-free acidic polymer membranes for large-scale electrolyzers, which play a key role in energy production.
Current electrolysers are typically based on Nafion, a material that belongs to the poly- and perfluorinated aliphatic substances (PFAS). These substances are harmful to the environment because they are very stable and accumulate in the environment. In view of planned regulations, the need to develop fluorine-free alternatives is becoming increasingly urgent. Prof. Dr. Michael Sommer from Chemnitz University of Technology highlights the challenges that come with developing new materials with comparable properties.
Development of innovative membranes
The “H2Giga Project Fluorine-Free MEA” project aims to develop cost-effective fluorine-free membrane electrode units (MEAs) for water electrolysis. The cooperation partners include Fumatech BWT GmbH and the University of Freiburg. The technology is based on the use of polymers and the project is central to the production of green hydrogen.
Common membrane materials consist of perfluorosulfonic acids, which offer high stability but have disadvantages such as high gas permeability and the associated environmental pollution. Novel membrane materials based on fluorine-free hydrocarbons promise advantages here: These include, among other things, greater stability at temperatures above 80 °C, lower gas permeability and more environmentally friendly and potentially more cost-effective production. The goal is to develop powerful MEAs using scalable technologies.
Use of sustainable hydrogen technologies
The production of sustainable hydrogen is an essential component of the energy transition. Electrolysis processes break down water into hydrogen (H₂) and oxygen (O₂) and require electrical power, preferably from renewable sources, to produce green hydrogen. The various electrolysis technologies include alkaline electrolysis, PEM electrolysis, alkaline membrane electrolysis and high-temperature electrolysis.
PEM electrolysis is particularly dynamic and has a high current density and compact design, but requires robust materials and expensive precious metals. To increase the efficiency of electrolysis technologies by 2050, the aim is to achieve an improvement of 12%. Anion exchange membrane electrolysis (AEMEL) is considered a promising technology that offers lower material criticality and scaling opportunities.
In summary, it can be seen that the developments in the field of fluorine-free membrane materials are not only more environmentally friendly, but also fundamental for the transformation to a sustainable energy system. With projects like FFWD and H2Giga, a significant step is being taken towards efficient and environmentally friendly hydrogen production. Germany aims to reach 44 GW of electrolysis capacity by 2030, underscoring the priority of developing and implementing innovative approaches to hydrogen production.