Measurement of hydrogen permeability and crossover in PEM electrolyzer membranes
Date
2025
Authors
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Publisher
University of Delaware
Abstract
Hydrogen production via proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzers is an essential technology for the transition to sustainable and carbon-free energy systems, offering efficient and scalable solutions for green hydrogen generation. However, hydrogen crossover through the electrolyzer membrane remains a critical challenge, impacting system efficiency and safety. This thesis is focused on the measurement of hydrogen permeability of novel membrane materials designed to mitigate hydrogen crossover. The membranes were then installed in a single cell electrolyzer and hydrogen crossover was measured under unpressurized and pressurized conditions. ☐ The study is divided into three phases. The first phase involves characterizing the hydrogen permeability of candidate membranes using a depressurization cell setup, where temperature and hydration level are varied to assess the membrane’s hydrogen permeability under various operating conditions. In the second phase, the selected membranes were integrated into an unpressurized PEM electrolyzer and hydrogen crossover was monitored using a gas detector. In the final phase, the membranes were tested in a pressurized PEM electrolyzer at 10-30 bar to examine performance, operational stability and hydrogen crossover under pressurized conditions. ☐ The findings of this research offer valuable insights into advanced membrane materials with significantly reduced hydrogen crossover that can enhance the performance of PEM electrolyzers under both standard and pressurized conditions. This work contributes to the development of more efficient and scalable electrolyzers for large-scale hydrogen production, supporting the global transition to a robust hydrogen economy.
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Keywords
Hydrogen crossover, Membrane permeability, Proton exchange membrane, Hydrogen production