Imagine a hydrogen engine that doesn't rely on expensive rare metals or toxic 'forever chemicals' found in standard plastics. This team created a new internal layer for fuel cells that works at higher temperatures and uses much less platinum. It's like upgrading a battery to be cheaper and greener without losing any power.
Hydrogen fuel cells are currently too expensive due to high platinum requirements and rely on toxic, environmentally harmful PFAS chemicals that face increasing regulatory pressure.
A PFSA-free fuel cell short stack using intermetallic Pt-alloy catalysts and hydrocarbon membranes.
If you are a truck manufacturer dealing with the high cost of platinum and environmental regulations on PFAS — this project developed a PFSA-free membrane electrode assembly that reduces platinum content to 0.3 mgPt/cm2. This lowers material costs while maintaining performance for long-haul transport.
If you are a stack producer dealing with the toxicity of fluoropolymers in manufacturing — this project developed hydrocarbon-based materials that allow operation at 105 °C. This removes toxic perfluorinated compounds from your production line and improves thermal management.
If you are a catalyst supplier dealing with the EU's dependency on platinum imports — this project developed intermetallic Pt-alloy catalysts. This enables higher performance and durability with significantly less critical raw material usage.
It lowers costs by reducing the platinum content to 0.3 mgPt/cm2 and replacing expensive, environmentally burdensome fluoropolymers with hydrocarbon materials.
The project demonstrated a fuel cell short stack, which serves as a functional energy generation device to validate the technology beyond a single cell.
Based on available project data, the project included IPR management activities and business plan creation to ensure market readiness.
Yes, the technology is specifically designed to be PFSA-free, removing toxic perfluorinated compounds from the manufacturing process.
The project achieved higher operating temperatures of 105 °C by using novel hydrocarbon materials instead of conventional PFSA ionomers.
The consortium is highly industry-focused, consisting of 3 partners with a 100% industry ratio, including 2 SMEs. This structure is designed to create a complete European value chain, spanning from catalyst production (ReCatalyst) and membrane fabrication (ionysis) to full stack technology (EKPO), significantly reducing the gap between lab research and commercial deployment.
Contact ReCatalyst d.o.o. in Slovenia for catalyst and MEA integration inquiries.
Contact SciTransfer to connect with the ENABLER consortium for licensing and partnership opportunities.
