Designing Hyperbranched Ion-Conducting Polymers for Medium-Temperature Fuel Cells

With the rapid development of renewable energy such as solar and wind power, suitable hydrogen conversion technologies need to be developed to accommodate the large-scale incorporation of low carbon energy into the power grid. While proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC) are regarded as the most promising technologies, low temperature PEMFC ( 100 ° C and phosphoric acid based fuel cells at >120 ° C suffer from acid leakage, while medium temperature PEMFCs (MT-PEMFCs, 100-120 ° C) offer a promising way to bridge the gaps with improved catalytic activity, simplified thermal management, improved CO tolerance and flexibility of hydrogen feedstocks. However, their large-scale application is still limited by low performance membranes and instable three-phase interfaces, which limit the power density and durability. The HyperCELL project aims to develop advanced polymer materials to improve medium-temperature fuel cell performance. The main objectives are:1)Design and create polymer membranes that efficiently conduct protons and retain water.2)Engineer the interface between fuel, catalyst, and membrane to improve gas transport and stability.3)Integrate these materials into fuel cell stacks with testing and operational strategies to optimize performance.By combining material innovation and system integration, HyperCELL will provide scalable, high-performance fuel cell components. The project will accelerate hydrogen technology deployment and support Europe’s clean energy transition and climate neutrality goals.