Smoltek Nanotech Holding AB (Gothenburg, Sweden) announced that its subsidiary Smoltek Hydrogen and Heraeus Precious Metals GmbH & Co. KG (Hanau, Germany) are advancing their strategic collaboration to develop next-generation, ultra-low iridium Porous Transport Electrodes (PTEs) for Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) water electrolysis. As a major milestone in this partnership, the companies will initiate a rigorous 3,000-hour long-term durability test this fall.
The testing campaign will specifically evaluate the long-term operational stability of Smoltek Hydrogen’s proprietary nanostructured iridium catalyst layer, marking a critical step toward the commercialization and large-scale industrialization of cost-effective green hydrogen production.
The collaboration leverages Smoltek Nanotech Holding AB’s innovative nanotechnology alongside Heraeus Precious Metals GmbH & Co. KG’s world-class expertise in precious metal electrocatalysts and material analysis.
“Our nanostructured layer offers a unique capability to maximize charge and mass transport properties within a thickness of just a few microns. By optimizing this specific catalyst architecture, we can simultaneously maintain high electrolyzer efficiency while successfully reducing the amount of iridium needed to below 0.1 mg/cm² loading,” says Fabian Wenger, Head of R&D at Smoltek Hydrogen.
Testing and validation are central to transitioning this breakthrough from the laboratory to industrial application. Heraeus Precious Metals will lead the upcoming testing phase, bringing extensive resources to evaluate the catalyst’s performance under realistic operational conditions.
“We are looking forward to commencing this extensive testing campaign and to providing the critical material analysis required to validate this technology. With our capabilities, we will continue to support all steps toward industrialization of these highly promising ultra-low iridium PTEs with our comprehensive analytical and testing capabilities,” says Christian Gebauer, Head of Innovation at the Hydrogen Systems Division of Heraeus Precious Metals.
This joint effort directly addresses one of the primary bottlenecks in scaling PEM electrolysis: the high cost of iridium. By drastically reducing the required loading without sacrificing durability, Smoltek Hydrogen and Heraeus Precious Metals are paving the way for the sustainable expansion of the global green hydrogen infrastructure.