What can we expect from PFAS free membranes for PEM electrolysis?
22-07-2024
What can we expect from PFAS free membranes for PEM electrolysis?
Together with some of the leading Research and Technology Organisations (RTOs), VoltaChem co-initiator TNO worked on a joint statement on the upcoming PFAS restriction within the European Union.
PFAS material, also know was ‘forever chemicals’, are widely used in multiple application due to their unique properties, strength and long lifetime. However there is a down side. At the moment the material leaks into the environment where it will stay forever and with the risk to enter our food chain. In the Joint position paper the RTOs welcome the EU restriction on PFAS and recognise the environmental risk but requested to put an extra effort to develop quickly suitable alternatives for different applications.
TNO was responsible for the electrolyser use case in the position paper. Currently, the common used fluor / PFAS based membrane is the standard and reference in the PEM technology. Nowadays there is no commercial fluor free membrane available meeting the same properties as the current Nafion reference. However, TNO is at the moment testing, validation and developing multiple fluor free membranes from commercial suppliers at its Faraday lab in the framework of the VoltaChem program. This is showing some promising results which gives confidence that the collaborative public-private research will lead to alternatives when we focus on this topic together.
Read more on this topic where you can also download the pdf report.
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