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The heart of the fuel cell stack
Membrane Electrode Assemblies Membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) are the electrochemical heart of a proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell stack.
The MEA produces a continuous supply of electricity when provided with hydrogen and oxygen from air. Umicore develops and manufactures state-of-the-art pMembrain™ MEAs based on proprietary technology and mass manufacturing processes. Our leading position in catalyst development is implemented in our pMembrain™ MEAs through the use of Umicore elyst™ electrocatalysts.
In addition to excellent performance and a precious metal content adapted to the requirements of the application, Umicore´s pMembrain™ product range is based upon extended lifetime and reliable operation under field conditions.
pMembrain™ MEAs are available for stationary, portable and automotive applications. pMembrain™ MEAs can be tailored with respect to stack size, stack design and operating conditions according to specific customer needs. This helps our customers shorten time to the market.
Umicore also offers pMembrain™ MEAs for use in PEM water electrolysis applications. The pMembrain™ MEA product series covers the complete chain of catalytic solutions for sustainable power generation.
Commercial scale manufacturing of pMembrain™ MEAs is based on Umicore´s proven proprietary manufacturing processes.
Umicore‘s high volume pMembrain™ MEA manufacturing capacity is a sign of strong commitment to supplying cost-effective MEA products to the stationary, portable and automotive fuel cell industries. Our pMembrain™ MEA production quality control system is designed for QS9000 certification and helps to assure consistent product quality and performance for our customers.
pMembrain™ hydrogen MEAs cover a broad range of applications…
…including fully humidified, low humidity or dry operating conditions. Stable, high levels of performance are consistently delivered for hydrogen-air (pMembrain™ H300) and for hydrogen-oxygen (pMembrain™ H200) conditions.
pMembrain™ R300 reformate MEAs can be operated under full and low humidification conditions. They show stable, long term performance and tolerate CO concentrations of 100 ppm or higher without major performance loss or deactivation of the catalyst layers.
pMembrain™ D200 DMFC MEAs can be adapted to several operation conditions and show stable performance in simple air breathing systems as well as in small scale stack applicationsUmicores MEA Technologie basiert auf verschiedenen Membran Typen.Um beste Leistung und höchste Zuverlässigkeit zu garantieren, werden verschiedene perfluorierte Materialien verwendet.
Porosität, Struktur und hydrophobe Eigenschaften der Gasverteilerschichten sind kritische Parameter, die einen starken Einfluss auf die MEA Leistungsfähigkeit unter gegebenen Betriebsbedingungen haben. Umicore verwendet daher modernste Gasdiffusionstechnologie, basierend auf Kohlepapier, Gewebe und andere Materialien als ein Teil der pMembrain™ MEA Produkte.
pMembrain™ E200 electrolysis MEAs are designed for applications where high purity hydrogen is produced. They show excellent durability under a broad temperature and pressure range. With their excellent performance they provide the basis for a high system efficiency even at high hydrogen production rates.
Umicore MEA technology is based upon various membrane types.
For best performance and high reliability, several perfluorinated materials are used.
Porosity, structure and hydrophobicity of gas diffusion media are critical parameters that have a strong influence on MEA performance under given operating conditions. Umicore applies leading edge gas diffusion media technology based on carbon paper, cloth and other materials as part of pMembrain™ MEA products.
We adapt our MEAs to the technical requirements of our customers by combining Umicore proprietary elyst™ catalyst technology with the best suited membrane type and GDL material for each application to meet performance and lifetime targets. In close cooperation with our customers, our engineers are able to combine several standardized components to design multi-layer MEAs that fit into the specific stack design and support the chosen sealing technology. The protection rim or the sealing area can be customized to special designs with different hole patterns or gas channels. The components of such MEAs are shown in the schematic below.
Umicores Philosophie der geschlossenen Materialkreisläufespiegelt sich in unseren Recycling-Konzepten, die wir für jedes Produkt der pMembrain™ MEA Serie erarbeiten, wider. Das Edelmetallrecycling ist entscheidend um die kalkulierten Kosten der Industrie zu erreichen und um die nachhaltige Einführung von Brennstoffzellen-Produkten zu gewährleisten. Umicores Service des "geschlossenen Kreislaufes"wird sich kostenreduzierend für unsere Kunden auswirken und so den Brennstoffzellen-Produkten einen erfolgreichen Markteinstieg ermöglichen.
Umicores standard pMembrain™-MEA products:
Application MEA Type
Wasserstoff Application pMembrain™ H200 pMembrain™ H300
Reformat Application pMembrain™ R300
DMFC Application pMembrain™ D200
Wasser Electrolyse pMembrain™ E200
