Antonino S. Aricò, Director of CNR-ITAE, recently attended the 10th International Conference on Fundamentals & Developments of Fuel Cells and Electrolysers (FDFC2026) in Montpellier, France.  

The presentation illustrated the latest results on the application of chemically stabilised short-side-chain proton exchange Aquivion® membrane containing a Ce-radical scavenger for high-current density and high-pressure water electrolysis. 

Below is the abstract from the presentation. 

Abstract – Pressurised PEM water electrolyser based on a thin short-side-chain Aquivion® membrane 

Chemically stabilised short-side-chain proton exchange Aquivion® membrane containing a Ce-radical 

scavenger was investigated for operation at a high current density with a reduced concentration of H2 in O2 and with improved stability in a water electrolysis single cell. At the beginning of life, the performance was initially low due to proton exchange with Ce ions released by the scavenger; however, performance increased by time, resulting in a system more efficient than of bare extruded and reinforced membranes. In addition, the Ce-scavenger-based membrane exhibited a lower H₂ concentration in O₂ compared with MEAs using unmodified membranes, indicating that an increased tortuosity effect for the gas crossover induced by the Ce-based nanofiller. This study demonstrates that membrane fabrication and the presence of a Ce nanofiller strongly affect the interfacial properties between membrane and electrodes in PEM water electrolysis. Specifically, the Ce-containing Aquivion® perfluorosulfonic acid membrane showed excellent resistance to degradation and reduced hydrogen content in the oxygen stream. The continued performance improvement observed during a 3,500-hour durability test confirms that the nanofiller effectively enhances system stability. 

The sixth ADVANCEPEM newsletter has been published summarising the results of the project so far.

Read the full newsletter here.

Antonino S. Aricò, director of CNR-ITAE, presented the latest findings on high-pressure PEM water electrolysis at the European Fuel Cell Forum 2025 in Lucerne, Switzerland. 

This high-pressure approach aims to significantly reduce energy use by minimising post-electrolysis compression.  

The team at CNR tested several PFSA membranes, including cast, reinforced and radical scavenger-enhanced variants, showing promising electrochemical performance and long-term stability over 2,000 hours. Advanced characterisation techniques such as XRD, XRF, TEM and SEM were used to assess the physical and chemical stability of membrane-electrode assemblies before and after operation. 

These results mark an important step toward more efficient, cost-effective PEM water electrolysis for green hydrogen production. 

Below is the abstract of the presentation. 

Abstract – An innovative PEM water electrolysis system for green hydrogen production 

Proton exchange membrane water electrolysis (PEMWE) powered by renewable sources is gaining importance for green hydrogen production. This technology is particularly suitable for operation with intermittent loads facilitating grid balancing service when required by differences in energy generation and consumption. By improving PEM water electrolysis technology, it can be possible to enhance grid services, including improving power quality, controlling frequency and voltage, reducing peak, load shifting, and responding to consumer demand changes. To enable large-scale use of PEMWEs, it’s crucial to lower capital costs. Moreover, innovations that allow higher current density, increased operating temperatures, and greater hydrogen pressure are necessary for significant advancements in technology. The ADVANCEPEM project aims to develop an innovative PEM electrolyser able to generate hydrogen at extremely high pressure (200 bar), which will minimize the energy needed for subsequent compression processes. Producing highly pressurized hydrogen directly from water electrolysis can significantly reduce the energy needed compared to compressing the gas afterward. The study expects to lower capital costs by reducing the amount of critical raw materials used, developing cost-effective coated bipolar plates, and utilizing reinforced PFSA polymer membranes that exhibit high conductivity, glass transition temperatures and crystallinity. Cast, cast with radical scavenger powder and reinforced membranes were electrochemically investigated by means of polarization tests, impedance spectroscopy analysis (EIS), and stability tests over 2000 hours. In addition, X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) techniques were employed to investigate the chemical-physical properties and the morphology of the membrane-electrode assemblies (MEAs) under study before and after the steady-state tests.  

On April 9th the ADVANCEPEM consortium held its eighth meeting in London, UK. Hosted by HSSMI, the event brought together representatives from all partners to present updates on their respective Work Packages and discuss the project’s progress. 

A key point of discussion was the outcome of the mid-term review. The reviewers approved all deliverables submitted during the first half of the project and recognised the technical progress made to date. However, in light of delays affecting certain activities, they recommended extending the project timeline. A 12-month extension, moving the project’s end date to January 2027, has since been approved. 

As of this meeting, one new deliverable was submitted on schedule (Month 24), namely Deliverable D4.2 – Report on Catalyst Scaling-Up. Activities within Work Package 4 are now complete, with CNR-ITAE having provided IRD with anode, cathode and recombination catalysts for MEA manufacturing. Additional batches will be supplied if required. 

Two deliverables originally due at Month 24 have been postponed following the extension: 

• D3.2: Reinforced Membrane Scaling-Up, now expected by Month 30. 

• D5.2: MEA Performance and Stability, now scheduled for submission in Month 32. 

Deliverable D1.3 – Annual Data Reporting for Clean Hydrogen JU (Year 2) is planned for submission at the end of April (Month 27). 

The next in-person meeting will take place in October 2025 (Month 33) at Oort Energy in Bristol, UK. By that time, short-stack testing is expected to be completed and progress will be reviewed on the finalisation of system design and preparations for full stack assembly. 

Antonino S. Aricò, director of CNR-ITAE, and Benedetta Brancato, researcher fellow at CNR-ITAE, presented their latest findings at HYCELTEC 2024, the IX Symposium on Hydrogen, Fuel Cells and Advanced Batteries. This interdisciplinary forum, scheduled from the 30th of June to the 3rd of July in Milazzo (Italy), brought together experts and researchers from academia, technological centres and industry to discuss advancements in the field of energy technologies.