PORTFOLIO

Fuel cells (FC) are set to transform the mobility sector by replacing traditional internal combustion engines. However, their efficiency is often reduced due to nitrogen buildup on the anode side, contaminating the hydrogen fuel. This contamination necessitates the periodic purging of 50-70% of hydrogen and nitrogen, resulting in a loss of over 600 kg of hydrogen over the typical 1.5 million km or 10-year lifespan of an FC vehicle. This process not only leads to significant economic loss and safety concerns but also impacts the environment; for instance, a single 150-kW fuel cell engine could release over 60 kg of hydrogen annually, equating to the effects of ~0.6 tons of CO2. With the fuel cell market expected to grow from 10 billion CHF to 42 billion CHF by 2030, and the number of fuel cell vehicles projected to exceed 1.2 million, annual CO2 equivalent emissions could surpass 756,000 tons. Therefore, regulations limiting hydrogen purge losses are anticipated. To address this issue, we've developed a patented gas separation device based on palladium-coated graphene membranes.
This device efficiently captures hydrogen from nitrogen-water-hydrogen mixtures through adsorptive separation, while allowing other gases to pass through. The captured hydrogen is then recycled back into the fuel cell using heat and vacuum. Our innovative membrane technology not only enables complete recovery of hydrogen, providing savings of up to 15,000 CHF per fuel cell over its lifetime, but it also significantly reduces emissions and improves safety, while providing a sustainable and economically viable solution to a critical challenge in fuel cell technology. This project addresses immediate market needs and is strategically positioned to gain value with evolving environmental policies, establishing it as a crucial advancement in sustainable mobility.

In the first phase of the project, we identified the right membrane materials by screening PES, PTFE, Nylon, PVDF, and PI and selecting PI as the only support stable to ≥150 °C under sputtering and thermal cycling. Optimized the Pd loading by depositing 2 µm per side on 4 4 cm PI membranes to achieve ~6 mg H /g (~0.6 wt%) uptake stable over repeated adsorption/desorption cycles at 70 °C. Moreover, we secured follow-on funding—CHF 365,142 from Innosuisse and CHF 150,000 UniFR startup grant (total CHF 515,000) for finalizing the development and market entry. We also screened different housing materials and identified PEEK as a viable option and assembled a proof-of-concept recovery module (7–10-membrane stack in PEEK housing with EPDM seals) that achieves <20 mbar pressure drop, thus closing the sustainability gap of venting PEM-FC purge gas by enabling compact, low-temperature H recovery. Next, we will fabricate 25–35 membranes (4 4 cm, 2 µm Pd per side) for pilot units, optimize operation to prevent condensation and ensure effective H capture, and deploy pilots by Q4 2026 in fuel cell and hydrogen separation markets.