Professur Polymerchemie
Projekte
Professur Polymerchemie 

Projects

Fluorine-Free Water electrolysis Development (FastForward FFWD)

Project FFWD aims at making PEM water electrolysis more efficient, less capital intensive and more environmentally benign. New hydrocarbon polymers will be prepared that are fluorine-free and inherently more gas tight to allow for reduced membrane thickness and electrolyser operation at higher temperatures. This advantage can result in higher efficiency of hydrogen evolution and thus lower capital expenditures. The FFWD collaborative network between German and French partners is funded by the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR).
Funding period
01.11.2024 – 31.10.2027
Link to website

KOSMOS

KOSMOS aims at lowering the costs of green hydrogen production by developing simple, fluorine-free and scalable binder polymers for anion exchange membrane water electrolysis, as well as nickel-based cathode catalysts. Gas-permeable binder polymers facilitate diffusion of the gaseous products oxygen and hydrogen away from the electrodes. Using nickel-based catalysts as new cathode materials will further lower the costs. Stable, efficient and economic membrane-electrode-assemblies (MEAs) will be prepared, optimized and validated for AEMWE. KOSMOS is funded by the Free State of Saxony and the European Union.
Funding period
28.01.2025 – 30.06.2027

AEMset

The overarching goals of AEMset are to realize efficient, cost-economic and stable AEM water electrolysis on industrially relevant cell area and low gas cross-over. Clarifying degradation mechanisms and limiting factors of membranes and binders are a main focus that serve to better tailor these polymeric materials with distinctly different property profiles.
Funding period
01.09.2025 – 31.08.2028

PEWE26

The aim of PEWE26 is to use to develop mechanically stable thin PEM membranes. While very thick membranes (100 μm) have generally been used in PEM electrolysis so far, with reference to gas crossover, there are now radical approaches by some leading manufacturers that significantly increase voltage efficiency and save membrane material using thin fuel cell membranes. The issue of gas crossover is addressed either systemically or through recombination catalysts. However, ultra-thin PFAS-free hydrocarbon membranes (< 20 μm) could potentially dispense with these catalysts, as they are inherently more gas-tight. Developing this membrane and bringing it to a high level of maturity is therefore the overall objective of the PEWE26 project. This includes a brief polymer adaptation development, mechanical reinforcement, and the development of framing to ensure high gas tightness.
Funding period
01.02.2026 – 31.01.2027