Heraeus/Smoltek tie-up on iridium-catalyst solutions for PEM electrolysers
Smoltek Hydrogen, specialising in solutions based on carbon nanotechnology, and Germany-based Heraeus Precious Metals, a supplier of precious metal solutions, have signed a term sheet on a strategic collaboration on advanced iridium-based catalyst solutions for proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolysers.
This collaboration marks a significant step toward developing the next generation of PEM electrolyser technology, supporting the global energy transition with scalable and sustainable solutions.
“By combining our nanostructure technology with Heraeus’ expertise in advanced catalyst formulations, we aim to further push the limits of iridium efficiency in PEM electrolysers, paving the way for cost-effective green hydrogen production,” says Ellinor Ehrnberg, President of Smoltek Hydrogen.
The cooperation partners will combine their knowledge to advance the functional of porous transport electrodes (PTEs), representing the next generation electrodes for PEM electrolysers.
In this novel concept the porous transport layer, that is required to carry water, hydrogen and oxygen from and to the proton exchange membrane, serves at the same time as electrode and catalytic carrier. For this purpose, it is coated with ultra-thin iridium and platinum containing catalytic layers. The key target is to systematically decrease the necessary amount of platinum group metals, especially of the very scarce iridium, to accelerate green hydrogen production at significantly lower cost and resource usage.
Key factors for an ultra-low iridium solution are a high addressable surface, smallest particle sizes and the formulation of the particles itself, and this is where the skillsets of the partners combine to a unique constellation:
The collaboration combines Smoltek’s ultra-low iridium nanostructure technology for the PTL with Heraeus’ expertise in advanced catalyst formulations. Smoltek has already achieved 0.1 mg/cm² iridium loading in PEM electrolysers, and this partnership is expected to further reduce the iridium content, for instance by applying Heraeus’ unique ruthenium-iridium catalyst on Smoltek Hydrogen’s nanostructured porous transport electrode.
The partnership reflects the strong synergies between Heraeus’ global industrial expertise and Smoltek’s innovative solutions based on carbon nanotechnology. It also highlights the increasing importance of reducing iridium dependency in the hydrogen industry, as global demand for PEM electrolysers continues to rise.
