Summary

Researchers at Empa (Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology) in Dübendorf are developing lower-cost materials for water electrolysis to produce green hydrogen. The project is being carried out in collaboration with the French institutes Institut de la Corrosion (Brest) and LEMTA (Nancy). It is funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) and the French Agence Nationale de la Recherche (ANR). The goal is to replace expensive titanium and platinum components in PEMWE electrolysers with coated steel. The project runs until end of 2026, after which the search for an industrial partner for commercialisation is planned.

People

  • Konstantin Egorov (Materials Scientist, Empa – Materials for Energy Conversion)
  • Meike Heinz (Researcher, Empa – Materials for Energy Conversion)

Topics

  • Green hydrogen
  • Water electrolysis / PEMWE technology
  • Materials research and corrosion protection
  • Energy transition / decarbonisation
  • Industrial scalability

Clarus Lead

Green hydrogen is considered a key technology of the energy transition – but has so far been held back by cost: electrolytic production is approximately twice as expensive as fossil-based production, which still accounts for more than 90 percent of global hydrogen supply today. The Empa approach addresses precisely this bottleneck at the materials level – using a method (physical vapour deposition) that is already established industrially. For decision-makers in energy and industrial policy, the project signals that a market-viable cost reduction for PEMWE electrolysers may be closer than previously assumed.

Detailed Summary

The core problem of PEMWE technology lies in the highly corrosive environment inside the electrolysis chamber. Egorov describes it vividly: steel dissolves there "like sugar in a cup of tea". Even components without direct contact with the acidic environment corrode – and even the smallest traces of metal in the high-purity process water significantly reduce the device's performance and lifespan.

The previous solution was to use titanium as a base material, supplemented by a platinum coating for oxidation protection – both costly and technically demanding to process. The Empa researchers replace this approach with steel coated with titanium oxide: specifically, highly crystalline, oxygen-deficient rutile. This material combines two decisive properties: oxygen vacancies in the crystal lattice provide electrical conductivity, while the high crystallinity ensures corrosion resistance.

The coating is applied using physical vapour deposition (PVD) – a process already widely used in industry, which facilitates later scaling. The first target component, the bipolar plate, has already successfully passed corrosion tests under laboratory conditions and in a functioning electrolyser. The next challenge is the coating of the porous transport layer: its pores must be coated uniformly without becoming blocked – a technically demanding step that Egorov considers solvable.

Key Findings

  • Green hydrogen from electrolysis currently costs roughly twice as much as fossil-produced hydrogen – the main reason for its low market share.
  • Titanium oxide-coated steel can replace expensive titanium-platinum components in PEMWE electrolysers while maintaining corrosion resistance.
  • The PVD method used is industrially established and enables direct scalability of the approach.
  • The bipolar plate has passed practical tests; the porous transport layer is the next research step.
  • After project completion in 2026, an industrial partner is to drive commercialisation.

Critical Questions

  1. (Evidence/Data Quality) The corrosion tests of the bipolar plate are described as successful – under what exact conditions (temperature, operating duration, current intensity) were they conducted, and how representative are these of real industrial conditions?
  2. (Evidence/Data Quality) What specific cost savings (in CHF/kg hydrogen or €/kW electrolyser capacity) can be quantified from the material change – and on what assumptions are these estimates based?
  3. (Conflicts of Interest/Independence) The project is publicly funded by SNSF and ANR. To what extent do the expectations of the funding institutions influence the selection and presentation of research results?
  4. (Causality/Alternatives) In addition to PEMWE, other electrolysis technologies exist (alkaline electrolysis, high-temperature electrolysis). Why does the project focus exclusively on PEMWE, and what cost comparisons have been drawn with alternative technology pathways?
  5. (Causality/Alternatives) Material costs are one cost driver – but what share do they represent in the total cost of green hydrogen compared to electricity costs and capital costs of the plant?
  6. (Feasibility/Risks) Coating porous transport layers is classified as "challenging". What fallback scenarios exist if this component fails to meet requirements?
  7. (Feasibility/Risks) PVD processes are industrially established, but may be time-consuming and expensive for large-area electrolyser components. Have the scaling costs of the coating method already been estimated?

References

Primary Source: Empa / news.admin.ch – Green Hydrogen: Cheaper Materials for Electrolysis – https://www.news.admin.ch/de/newnsb/hhxKkmaMVb5uCFpydfgjK

Supplementary Sources:

  1. Empa press release on the PROTIS project: https://www.empa.ch/web/s604/protis-green-hydrogen
  2. Empa Laboratory Materials for Energy Conversion: https://www.empa.ch/web/s501

Verification Status: ✓ 19.05.2026

This text was produced with the assistance of an AI model. Editorial responsibility: clarus.news | Fact-check: 19.05.2026