Smoltek Nanotech Holding AB (publ) has achieved a significant breakthrough in the hydrogen industry by developing a porous transport electrode (PTE) that reduces the iridium catalyst usage in PEM electrolyzers to just 0.1 mg/cm². This milestone, representing a 95% reduction in iridium compared to conventional electrolyzers, addresses a critical bottleneck for large-scale PEM electrolyzer production and makes green hydrogen more economically viable.
Revolutionizing PEM Electrolyzer Technology
Ellinor Ehrnberg, President of Smoltek Hydrogen, highlighted the achievement:
“We are thrilled to have achieved hydrogen production with only 0.1 mg of iridium per square centimeter, without compromising performance. This breakthrough addresses one of the hydrogen industry’s biggest challenges—the scarcity of iridium, which has hindered large-scale manufacturing of PEM electrolyzers.”
Durability and Performance Validated
In a 250-hour continuous operation test at 2 A/cm², Smoltek’s PTE demonstrated:
- Hydrogen production with 0.1 mg iridium/cm² catalyst loading.
- No degradation of the nanostructure, confirming durability and efficiency.
- Performance parity with previous tests using 0.2 mg iridium/cm², allowing further optimization of the technology.
Fabian Wenger, Head of R&D at Smoltek Hydrogen, stated:
“This durability test confirmed the results of our earlier 1,000-hour test with 0.2 mg iridium/cm² but achieved with half the catalyst. We will now focus on enhancing other aspects of the PTE technology for longer durability tests.”
Solving a Key Challenge for the Green Hydrogen Industry
The hydrogen industry has struggled with the high iridium requirements of conventional PEM electrolyzers, which use approximately 2.0 mg/cm². Smoltek’s nanostructure technology, first tested with 0.5 mg/cm² prototypes in 2023, has evolved rapidly to reach this industry-transforming milestone.
The breakthrough has already attracted attention, with multiple potential customers expressing interest in testing the technology for their own applications.
A Cost-Effective Path to Scaling Green Hydrogen
Smoltek’s innovation has the potential to significantly lower the cost of PEM electrolyzer production, removing a key barrier to investment in hydrogen technologies powered by intermittent renewable energy sources like wind and solar.
Ellinor Ehrnberg concluded:
“Smoltek’s solution drastically reduces iridium-related costs, making PEM electrolyzers more competitive. We are well-positioned to support the global scaling of green hydrogen production as the industry enters a major growth phase.”
Paving the Way for a Hydrogen-Powered Future
With its PTE technology, Smoltek is not only setting a new standard in PEM electrolyzer efficiency but also advancing the global green hydrogen industry’s ability to meet sustainability and scalability goals.