Kaohsiung university creates membranes to advance hydrogen tech

高雄大學研發出用於推進氫能技術的薄膜材料

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A team from National Sun Yat-sen University has created two new membranes that facilitate proton transport, with potential applications in hydrogen vehicles, hydrogen recovery in semiconductor manufacturing, and energy storage.

Huang Wen-yao (黃文堯), team leader and professor in the university’s Photonics Department, said the membranes have conductivity more than twice that of Nafion 211 membranes typically used in proton exchange membrane fuel cells, per CNA.

The cells generate electricity by combining hydrogen and oxygen, using a membrane as the electrolyte. Huang noted that Nafion 211 can lose conductivity at high temperatures, is costly to produce, and may release harmful substances as it degrades.

Huang highlighted that the team’s SYS7-H and SYS7-L membranes have passed certification. Their higher conductivity allows protons to move faster, improving fuel cell energy conversion and power output.

The membranes also outperform traditional materials in heat resistance, durability, and water absorption. Huang added that they are cheaper to produce and do not generate toxic substances during manufacturing.

Semiconductor manufacturing consumes large amounts of hydrogen, and leftover gas is often released. Huang said the membranes can capture and purify this discharged hydrogen, allowing it to be reused in batteries.

In addition, the membranes can be used in vanadium redox flow batteries, which offer higher power storage capacity than lithium batteries. Combined with solar power systems, the batteries can store extra energy generated during the day and release it during peak demand.

The team has partnered with local hydrogen fuel cell makers Shinyuan Technology, Nexcellent Energy, and Innoformu New Material to implement the membranes, with plans for mass production next year.