AEM Electrolysis of Water for Hydrogen Production

AEM Electrolysis of Water for Hydrogen Production – Electrolyzer Coating – Cheersonic

AEM electrolyzers are a relatively new technology that aims to combine the advantages of AE and PEM electrolyzers (but they are essentially still AE principles, just with different OH-transfer methods). AEM electrolyzers use solid polymer electrolytes to conduct hydroxide ions from cathode to anode and can operate on lower purity feed water than PEM electrolyzers. This modular AEM ensures responsiveness to intermittent renewable energy, built-in redundancy and easy scalability.

Compared with PEM electrolyzers, AEM electrolyzers have attracted much attention because they can use non-precious metal catalysts and a wider range of membrane materials, thus using cheaper materials. However, they also face some challenges, such as the stability of membranes and electrolytes in highly alkaline environments and the management of gas and water interfaces within the cell. R&D work in this area to improve the performance and durability of AEM electrolyzers is ongoing.

AEM is an emerging technology in the field of electrolyzers, and only a few companies have commercialized them so far. AEMs hold great promise by combining the milder conditions of alkaline electrolyzers with the efficiency of PEM electrolyzers. The technology allows the use of non-precious metal catalysts and titanium-free components, and like PEMs, can operate under pressure differential conditions (differential pressure). However, AEMs (membranes) currently face challenges with chemical and mechanical stability, which results in unstable lifetimes and sub-optimal performance. These issues are primarily due to low membrane conductivity, suboptimal electrode design, and slow catalyst kinetics. Efforts to improve performance, such as tuning membrane conductivity or introducing auxiliary electrolytes, may compromise durability. Hydroxyl ions (OH-) have an inherently low conductivity compared to protons in PEMs, so AEMs require thinner membranes or membranes with higher charge density.

Despite these challenges, AEM electrolyzers share many design principles with PEM electrolyzers. However, the immaturity of AEM technology also means that there is a paucity of information on the problems encountered when operating at high pressure differentials. Improvements are expected in AEM membrane robustness, product gas purity, ability to withstand high differential pressures, and an expansion of the power range beyond what AE can offer. However, AEM electrolysers currently have a narrow input power range compared to PEM electrolysers, with the limiting factor not being the electrolyser itself but the size of the equipment BOP.

Hydrogen production by electrolysis of water is the most advantageous method for producing hydrogen. Utrasonic coating systems are ideal for spraying carbon-based catalyst inks onto electrolyte membranes used for hydrogen generation. This technology can improve the stability and conversion efficiency of the diaphragm in the electrolytic water hydrogen production device. Cheersonic has extensive expertise coating proton exchange membrane electrolyzers, creating uniform, effective coatings possible for electrolysis applications.

Cheersonic ultrasonic coating systems are used in a number of electrolysis coating applications. The high uniformity of catalyst layers and even dispersion of suspended particles results in very high efficiency electrolyzer coatings, either single or double sided.

About Cheersonic

Cheersonic is the leading developer and manufacturer of ultrasonic coating systems for applying precise, thin film coatings to protect, strengthen or smooth surfaces on parts and components for the microelectronics/electronics, alternative energy, medical and industrial markets, including specialized glass applications in construction and automotive.

Our coating solutions are environmentally-friendly, efficient and highly reliable, and enable dramatic reductions in overspray, savings in raw material, water and energy usage and provide improved process repeatability, transfer efficiency, high uniformity and reduced emissions.

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