SBIR-STTR Award

Efficient, cost effective production of hydrogen from non-carbon based sources is a key barrier to widespread implementation of fuel cells for transportation and stationary power. Ion exchange membrane-based electrolysis is a promising technology for clean generation of pure hydrogen, but significant advances are required in order to provide cost-competitive hydrogen source for energy markets. Commercial membrane-based electrolyzers are based on proton exchange membranes (PEM), which require highly expensive catalyst and flow field materials such as noble metals and titanium due to the acidic environment of the membrane. In addition, the operating currents typically utilized in PEM systems to counteract the high material costs result in less than ideal efficiency, even though the membrane systems are inherently more efficient than liquid systems. The project proposed here addresses both of these issues by replacing the proton exchange membrane with an anion exchange membrane (AEM) and exploring new pyrochlore-based catalysts. Moving to a basic environment also enables the flow fields to made from less expensive materials. In addition, the classes of catalyst materials which are stable in the alkaline membrane environment are expanded vs. the acid environment, enabling higher overall hydrogen generation efficiency. Phase 1 will focus on the synthesis of 4 different catalyst types within the pyrochlore class. While the key focus of this project is the catalyst, initial work on alternate membranes will be performed to enable even higher reaction efficiency through development of more conductive membranes. Promising materials will be incorporated into processing studies to optimize electrode fabrication technique, and will be tested in commercial electrolyzer hardware. In Phase 2, additional characterization will be performed to assess the relation between composition, processing-induced-morphology, and resultant properties in conditions relevant to electrolyzer operation. Scale up will also occur to fabricate a full-sized commercial cell stack. Commercial Applications and Other

Benefits:
This research and development effort is designed to transform hydrogen-based energy storage into an enabling technology for the reduction of fossil fuel use by overcoming the present economic constraints preventing its widespread application. Protons electrolyzers already serve a wide variety of applications, including metals processing, chemical manufacturing, electronics manufacturing, hydrogenation, electrical generator cooling, fiber optic cable manufacturing, and argon purification. Next generation products currently under development include higher pressure systems for the fueling and energy storage markets as well as regenerative fuel cells for telecommunications backup power systems. All of these technologies are on pathways to commercialization and utilize various Government and internal sources of funding to advance their state of technical readiness. Protons mission is clearly to move advanced technology PEM products into hydrogen energy applications as those markets emerge in the coming years.

Proton OnSite, in collaboration with the Illinois Institute of Technology, proposes development of a low cost, membrane-based hydrogen generator, based on catalyst and membrane materials advancements. Economical and environmentally benign production and storage of hydrogen for energy markets remains a challenge. The proposed project leverages anion exchange membranes, enabling elimination of the highest expense materials in the cell stack, while the new catalyst formulations provide higher efficiencies than existing state-of-the-art. The goal of this Department of Energy sponsored project is to demonstrate the feasibility of hydrogen generation from electrolysis to meet the DOE hydrogen production targets of $3-4/kg H2. The Phase 1 project focused on improvement in MEA materials for lower oxygen evolution over-potentials. Pyrochlore catalysts were successfully synthesized and characterized, and were demonstrated to provide improved performance over the baseline materials. In Phase 2, the catalyst and anion exchange membrane (AEM) formulations down-selected from the Phase 1 project will be studied in more detail in order to understand the fundamental parameters driving performance. These materials can then be extensively optimized to yield robust electro-catalysts and electrolytes for advanced electrolyzer testing and manufacture. On the catalyst side, the emphasis will be on using advanced processing strategies to yield high turnover frequencies and stability to over 1.8V. Commercial Applications and Other

Benefits:
The proposed project could result in a step change improvement in cost, accelerating implementation of hydrogen infrastructure for not only bottled gas markets but also other markets using traditional delivery of hydrogen. Specifically, the laboratory industrial gas market is extremely price competitive. Hydrogen is being substituted for helium as a carrier gas for analytical equipment, and onsite generation is attractive from an OSHA perspective based on the lack of stored inventory and elimination of bottle transport. Proton has established lab channels and thus has a logical market entry point for the proposed alkaline exchange membrane technology. Longer term, this research and development effort is designed to transform hydrogen-based energy storage into an enabling technology for the reduction of fossil fuel use, by overcoming the present economic constraints preventing its widespread application. Hydrogen via electrolysis is ideally suited as a grid-buffering technology to pair with renewable energy sources to maintain steady power delivery. For commercial energy markets, the main roadblock to implementation is the capital and operating cost of the Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) electrolyzer. While PEM electrolysis technology is competitive in many industrial markets, systems still utilize noble metal catalysts and expensive semi-precious metal flow field components. In the proposed work, transformative research to overcome these materials constraints will be applied in order to enable this technology at a commercial level for energy storage.