Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Technology and Advanced Materials IFAM
Components and membranes for seawater electrolysis
Green hydrogen is considered a key building block of the energy transition. At the same time, existing electrolysis processes face major challenges: hydrogen production is still costly and energy-intensive and requires highly purified water.
This is exactly where the SeaEly project came in. Together with partners from research and industry, the Fraunhofer IFAM developed new components and testing methods for direct seawater and brackish water electrolysis. The aim was to enable efficient hydrogen production even with challenging water qualities – without the need for complex desalination processes.
A special feature of the project: at Fraunhofer IFAM, new components – specifically anion exchange membranes (AEMs) – could not only be developed but also directly tested and analyzed under realistic operating conditions. To achieve this, the institute established a modular electrolysis test bench and combined electrolysis research with surface analytics and post-mortem investigations.
What challenges does seawater electrolysis involve?
Seawater and brackish water contain salts, organic matter, and suspended particles that place significant stress on electrolysis components. The investigations therefore focused on membranes, electrodes, bipolar plates, as well as separators and diaphragms for alkaline electrolysis (AEL). AEL is a process used to produce hydrogen from water with the help of electric current.
Fraunhofer IFAM developed and tested various measuring cells and test benchs that enabled materials and components to be examined under realistic conditions.
What role did anion exchange membranes (AEMs) play?
Anion exchange membranes are considered key components of alkaline electrolysis. At Fraunhofer IFAM, different AEMs were manufactured, structurally characterized, and directly tested. To produce new AEMs, the team explored a VUV-based synthesis technology.
In addition, material investigations and post-mortem analyses of stressed components were carried out.
Why is SeaEly important for the hydrogen strategy?
The results from SeaEly contributed to the German National Hydrogen Strategy and future security of supply in Germany.
Particularly in the offshore sector, hydrogen technologies are increasingly regarded as part of critical infrastructure, which is also a key topic of the Maritime Cluster Northern Germany (MCN) conference series. Hydrogen can help store renewable energy and make energy systems more resilient.
This creates new opportunities for grid operators, wind farm operators, and industrial companies to integrate renewable energy sources and utilize surplus electricity.
What expertise did Fraunhofer IFAM contribute to SeaEly?
Different specialist departments at Fraunhofer IFAM worked closely together on the project. The team led by Dr. Stefan Dieckhoff combined expertise in electrolysis research, surface analytics, and materials development. Andreas Brinkmann and Olga Yezerska contributed their expertise in surface analytics, supported among others by Karsten Thiel.
In addition, Kerstin Flothmeier and Katharina Richter from the Polymer Materials division worked on the production of anion exchange membranes.
These partners participated in SeaEly
The joint project SeaEly (“Direct Seawater Electrolysis to produce H2 and O2”) included the following partners:
- Fraunhofer IWES
- Fraunhofer IFAM
- Technical University of Berlin
- Whitecell Eisenhuth GmbH & Co. KG
- Institute of Shipping Economics and Logistics
The project was funded by the German Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (project management agency PtJ).