Periodic Reporting for period 1 - ADVANCEPEM (Advanced High Pressure and Cost-Effective PEM Water Electrolysis Technology)
Reporting period: 2023-02-01 to 2024-07-31
Direct production of highly pressurised hydrogen from electrolytic water splitting can allow saving relevant amounts of energy compared to down-stream gas compression. The aim of this project is to develop a novel polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) electrolyser able to produce hydrogen at very high pressure (200 bar) thus reducing the post-compression energy consumption. Another goal is to develop a cost-effective technology allowing to achieve large-scale application of PEM electrolysers. A significant reduction of capital costs is achieved by critical raw materials minimisation, developing cheap coated bipolar plates and operating the electrolyser at a high production rate while assuring high efficiency (about 80% vs. HHV) and safe operation. ADVANCEPEM aims at developing a set of breakthrough solutions at materials, stack and system levels to increase hydrogen pressure to 200 bar and current density to 5 A cm-2 for the base load, while keeping the nominal energy consumption <50 kWh/kg H2. Reinforced Aquivion® polymer membranes with enhanced conductivity, high glass transition temperature and increased crystallinity, able to withstand high differential pressures, are developed for this application. The approach is to operate the innovative membrane at high temperature 90-120 °C under high pressure to allow increasing energy efficiency. To mitigate hydrogen permeation to the anode and related safety issues, efficient recombination catalysts are integrated both in the membrane and anode structure. The new technology is validated by demonstrating a high-pressure electrolyser of 50 kW nominal capacity with a production rate of about 24 kg H2/day in an industrial environment.
The Project Management Plan was delivered. The aims of the PMP were:
-set-up and maintenance of high-quality communication within the consortium and management of the contractual, administrative and financial aspects of the ADVANCEPEM project
-technical coordination of the project, quality assurance and risk management
Harmonised terminology, procedures and characterisation protocols were implemented for high pressure and high temperature PEM electrolyser systems.
A robust Aquivion® based Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) offering a proton conductivity more than 200 mS/cm (100% RH, at 80°C) with significant fluorine release reduction was developed. This Aquivion® based PEM will also offer a strong mechanical and chemical outstanding stabilities, able to be operated into an electrolysis cell at high temperature and pressure with a low gas crossover.
The main strategies for membrane development regarded:
- Assessment of the ionomer: Aquivion® PFSA is offering 40°C higher Tg than long side chain PFSA (ie Nafion®) to avoid/mitigate creep at this targeted temperature
- Assessment of the PEM reinforcement technology: Exploring different neutral materials as PEM reinforcement properties, inspired from early stage previous projects and solutions already explored in the field of PEM Fuel cell.
- Assessment of additives: Exploring the benefit of using a radical scavenger combined with our PEM and see how we can mitigate the fluorine release.
Enhanced PEM electrolysis catalysts characterised by improved characteristics such as a significant decrease of the noble metal content and an increase of the current density with respect to the state-of-the art were developed. Advanced IrRuOx anode, Pt/C cathode electrocatalysts and PtCo recombination catalyst were developed in the first phase of the ADVANCEPEM project.
The main strategy for enhancing the properties of the anode catalyst developed has been to improve intrinsic activity and stability by tailoring the surface chemistry, electronic effects, and crystallographic orientation. The goal has been to create stable nanostructured solid solutions of Ir and Ru with a core-shell configuration, featuring Ir enrichment on the surface and optimized crystallographic orientation.
Concerning the cathode catalyst, a noble metal-based Pt/C catalyst was developed to improve corrosion resistance in acidic environments and achieve suitable catalytic activity for hydrogen evolution.
The objective has been to further reduce both anode and cathode catalyst loadings vs. the state-of the art, increase current density up to 5 A cm-2, while maintaining low overpotential characteristics.
A Pt-Co alloy recombination catalyst was synthesized to achieve effective H2-O2 recombination capability in the gas phase and allow membrane-electrode assembly operation well below the flammability limit.
Membrane-electrode assemblies based on the new developed electrocatalysts and chemically stabilised short-side-chain proton exchange Aquivion® membrane containing a Ce-based radical scavenger were investigated for operation at high current density with reduced concentration of H2 in O2 and with improved stability in a water electrolysis cell.
Stack developmental activities have been started with the focus of achieving high hydrogen pressures.
Design for validating the PEM electrolyser at has been addressed. The most important technical, health, safety and environmental standards,technical parameters and boundary conditions have been defined.
Project Website and Identity were set-up in the first epriod of the project and dissemination activities started with the pubblication of a paper on an international open access journal.
Data Management Plan and Communication, Dissemination and Exploitation Plan were delivered.
-set-up and maintenance of high-quality communication within the consortium and management of the contractual, administrative and financial aspects of the ADVANCEPEM project
-technical coordination of the project, quality assurance and risk management
Harmonised terminology, procedures and characterisation protocols were implemented for high pressure and high temperature PEM electrolyser systems.
A robust Aquivion® based Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) offering a proton conductivity more than 200 mS/cm (100% RH, at 80°C) with significant fluorine release reduction was developed. This Aquivion® based PEM will also offer a strong mechanical and chemical outstanding stabilities, able to be operated into an electrolysis cell at high temperature and pressure with a low gas crossover.
The main strategies for membrane development regarded:
- Assessment of the ionomer: Aquivion® PFSA is offering 40°C higher Tg than long side chain PFSA (ie Nafion®) to avoid/mitigate creep at this targeted temperature
- Assessment of the PEM reinforcement technology: Exploring different neutral materials as PEM reinforcement properties, inspired from early stage previous projects and solutions already explored in the field of PEM Fuel cell.
- Assessment of additives: Exploring the benefit of using a radical scavenger combined with our PEM and see how we can mitigate the fluorine release.
Enhanced PEM electrolysis catalysts characterised by improved characteristics such as a significant decrease of the noble metal content and an increase of the current density with respect to the state-of-the art were developed. Advanced IrRuOx anode, Pt/C cathode electrocatalysts and PtCo recombination catalyst were developed in the first phase of the ADVANCEPEM project.
The main strategy for enhancing the properties of the anode catalyst developed has been to improve intrinsic activity and stability by tailoring the surface chemistry, electronic effects, and crystallographic orientation. The goal has been to create stable nanostructured solid solutions of Ir and Ru with a core-shell configuration, featuring Ir enrichment on the surface and optimized crystallographic orientation.
Concerning the cathode catalyst, a noble metal-based Pt/C catalyst was developed to improve corrosion resistance in acidic environments and achieve suitable catalytic activity for hydrogen evolution.
The objective has been to further reduce both anode and cathode catalyst loadings vs. the state-of the art, increase current density up to 5 A cm-2, while maintaining low overpotential characteristics.
A Pt-Co alloy recombination catalyst was synthesized to achieve effective H2-O2 recombination capability in the gas phase and allow membrane-electrode assembly operation well below the flammability limit.
Membrane-electrode assemblies based on the new developed electrocatalysts and chemically stabilised short-side-chain proton exchange Aquivion® membrane containing a Ce-based radical scavenger were investigated for operation at high current density with reduced concentration of H2 in O2 and with improved stability in a water electrolysis cell.
Stack developmental activities have been started with the focus of achieving high hydrogen pressures.
Design for validating the PEM electrolyser at has been addressed. The most important technical, health, safety and environmental standards,technical parameters and boundary conditions have been defined.
Project Website and Identity were set-up in the first epriod of the project and dissemination activities started with the pubblication of a paper on an international open access journal.
Data Management Plan and Communication, Dissemination and Exploitation Plan were delivered.
Thin (≤90 μm) Aquivion membranes containing radical scavenger have been developed showing conductivities of about 200 mS cm-1. Whereas conventional state of the art Nafion membrane show conductivity of about 100 mS cm-1.
IR-free O2 and H2 evolution overpotentials < 120 mV cumulative vs. thermoneutral potential at 5 A cm-2 with PGM loading < 1.2 mg cm-2 have achieved with an IrRu-oxide solid solution anode and Pt/C cathode catalyst. Typical state of the art overpotentials are in the order of 250 mV cumulative vs. thermoneutral potential at 5 A cm-2.
Performance of 5 A cm-2 at 1.83 V/cell, 90 °C, has been achived with a total PGM loading per MEA < 1.2 mg cm-2 combining Aquivion membrane/ionomer and advanced PGM catalysts. Typical state of the art performances at 5 A cm-2 are in the order of 1.9 -2 V/cell.
IR-free O2 and H2 evolution overpotentials < 120 mV cumulative vs. thermoneutral potential at 5 A cm-2 with PGM loading < 1.2 mg cm-2 have achieved with an IrRu-oxide solid solution anode and Pt/C cathode catalyst. Typical state of the art overpotentials are in the order of 250 mV cumulative vs. thermoneutral potential at 5 A cm-2.
Performance of 5 A cm-2 at 1.83 V/cell, 90 °C, has been achived with a total PGM loading per MEA < 1.2 mg cm-2 combining Aquivion membrane/ionomer and advanced PGM catalysts. Typical state of the art performances at 5 A cm-2 are in the order of 1.9 -2 V/cell.