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.
