Green hydrogen is a central pillar of Europe’s decarbonization goals, yet current technologies rely on scarce and environmentally problematic materials. HYScale addresses this by developing CRM- and PFAS-free catalysts, membranes, and ionomers, while preserving efficiency and durability at industrial scale.
The project’s latest milestone is the design and testing of a 100 kW single-stack AEM electrolyzer system that operates at current densities over 2 A/cm², nearly triple the state of the art. Initial tests confirm that large-scale results align with small-cell laboratory benchmarks—a key validation point as HYScale progresses toward TRL5 and industrial integration.
Central to HYScale’s progress is AionFLX™, a proprietary membrane and ionomer platform developed by project partner CENmat. These components, crafted from PFAS-free recycled and bio-based polymers, have proven highly conductive and durable in low-concentration alkaline solutions (0.1 M KOH) for over 1,000 hours. Their flexibility simplifies assembly and ensures cost-effective production from a single batch, improving consistency and reducing variability.
To scale the stack efficiently, HYScale has adopted a flow field-free design, minimizing machining steps and enabling compact configurations. Economic bipolar plates (BPPs) and porous transport layers (PTLs) made with reduced nickel content further improve affordability and reduce reliance on limited resources.
HYScale's pan-European collaboration includes contributions from the Italian National Research Council (CNR), Belgium’s Bekaert, Germany’s DLR, and others. Each partner plays a role in refining catalyst application, membrane performance, and stack assembly.
Key innovations include:
The project builds on results from earlier EU-funded initiatives like NEWELY, Anione, and ECO2Fuel, consolidating research into a system poised for rapid commercialization.
