VSParticle reaches major milestone in CLEANHYPRO initiative

VSParticle has reached an important milestone within its contribution to the CLEANHYPRO initiative. As a consortium partner, its role is developing a pilot line for the high-output, low-cost and sustainable production of nanoporous iridium catalyst layers for green hydrogen production. VSParticle reports that it has successfully upgraded its pilot line according to the standards that were targeted for the project's phase one.

The recent achievement consists of an increase in catalyst layer production rate by more than a factor 20 combined with several efficiency improvements. The upgrade consists of the following improvements in the pilot line developed by VSParticle:

Increased nanoparticle output through the development and integration of a next-generation nanoparticle generator.
Increased nanoparticle utilization through the optimization of the flow path from the nanoparticle generator to the substrate.
Increased recovery of iridium from non-utilized nanoparticles through introduction of new filters and cleaning procedures.
Reduced consumption of carrier gas through incorporating a gas recycling facility into the printing system.

These upgrades make the fabrication of iridium nanoporous layers more scalable, cost-efficient, and environmentally friendly. This marks an important step towards a viable green hydrogen economy.

Iridium: high efficiency, low availability

Proton exchange membrane water electrolysis (PEMWE) is a key method for the production of clean hydrogen. In this process, electrical energy is used to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. The reaction is facilitated by an iridium catalyst that is highly efficient, but also a precious metal that is extremely scarce. More information about iridium’s scarcity and how it challenges the transition to a clean hydrogen economy can be found in this blog post.

Nanoporous layers produced by VSParticle's printing technology have a high surface-area-to-volume ratio, which enables a reduction in iridium loading without compromising catalytic performance. To support industrial implementation, VSParticle is developing a manufacturing tool to scale fabrication of these nanoporous catalytic layers. This development helps lower material costs and makes PEM water electrolysis more cost-effective and scalable for green hydrogen production.

What’s next?

VSParticle now enters the validation stage of their goals within CLEANHYPRO, in which the nanoporous iridium layers are characterized and their performance in green hydrogen production is demonstrated. Moreover, the improved recovery rate of iridium waste from the pilot line opens up opportunities for more efficient iridium recycling.

About CLEANHYPRO: Europe’s hydrogen initiative

CLEANHYPRO is a European consortium in electrolysis materials that unites experts from 28 organizations spread across 11 countries. In light of Europe’s ambitious climate goals, CLEANHYPRO’s mission is to drive breakthrough innovations in the field of clean hydrogen production. It creates a platform for collaboration and offers tools and services to support companies in the development of high-quality electrolysis materials. With this, CLEANHYPRO paves the way for a sustainable and decarbonized future.

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