Hydrolite (Advanced anion exchange membrane technology for electrolyzers and fuel cells as an electric vehicle power source)

Hydrolite, an Israeli cleantech startup founded in 2016, specializes in electrolyzer and fuel cell technology. They offer low-cost green hydrogen generation and power delivery solutions to accelerate the green energy revolution. The company's unique AEM (Alkaline Exchange Membrane) technology enables high-efficiency power-to-hydrogen and hydrogen-to-power devices.

Challenges: hydrogen fuel

Hydrogen (H₂) is an energy carrier that can be used to store and deliver energy. It can be produced through the electrolysis of water.

Alkaline electrolyzers are a mature technology for producing hydrogen on an industrial scale. In a liquid alkane electrolyte,  cathode and anode are separated by an insulating porous separator. The separator separates the hydrogen and oxygen produced from the cathode and anode, respectively. Due to the  permeability of the separator, the pressure of both gasses should be equalized to avoid the formation of explosive mixture gas. Hydrogen cannot be directly electrochemically pressurized to a high pressure. Typically, an additional mechanical compressor is required to compress hydrogen, increasing capital expenditures. In addition, alkaline electrolyzers are not suitable for reversible fuel cells.

Proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzers use a gas-impermeable polymer membrane. They can be made to operate reversibly to function as fuel cells. The PEM electrolyzer can directly produce electrochemically compressed gas and can operate with pressure differences exceeding 100 bar. However, it operates at hydrogen pressures up to 30 bar because the membrane is permeable to hydrogen. Hydrogen will cross through the PEM and mix with oxygen if the hydrogen pressure is increased, which raises safety concerns. In addition, PEM electrolyzers use very expensive corrosion-resistant materials, which impedes its widespread commercial adoption.

Anion exchange membrane (AEM) electrolyzers use significantly cheaper materials than PEM electrolyzers to produce electrochemically pressurized hydrogen over 200 bar. High storage pressure reduces mass and volume and increases storage efficiency. AEM electrolyzers can function as reversible fuel cells. However, AEM electrolyzers and fuel cells have the challenge of the degradation of ionomers and the AEM. Specifically, the high voltage oxygen electrode accelerates the degradation of ionomers. Highly active oxygen- and hydrogen-oxygen-containing intermediate species, such as free radical species, can attack and degrade polymeric hydrocarbon AEMs adjacent to the oxygen electrode.

Hydrolite Technology

Hydrolite has developed advanced anion exchange membranes (AEM) for electrolyzers, fuel cells, reversible fuel cells, and ammonia fuel cells. The Hydrolyte’s AEM comprises thick polymer layers and thin porous composite ionomer/nanoparticles layers. The thick polymer layers serve as the main gas separator,while the thin composite layers protect polymer layers from degradation by electrode catalysts.

Hydrolite AEM electorlyzer or fuel cell

The diagram below depicts the structure of Hydrolite’s electrochemical cell (electrolyzer or fuel cell) based on its innovative AEM separator.