AMWA: Additive Manufacturing of High Performing Membrane Electrode Assemblies for Alkaline Water Electrolysis
Led by AM-COE and in collaboration with Fraunhofer Institute (IKTS), and PMCTec, AMWA is set to offer a combination of novel manufacturing and materials technology to provide a new scalable and commercially solution for water electrolysis and hydrogen manufacturing. To manufacture MEA (Membrane Electrode Assembly), a multimaterial 3D printing precisely deposits the material forming, the electrode and membrane in a single operation, leading to a simplified, easier to assemble, compact cell which will reduce ohmic loss. This new approach will enable higher operating temperatures (≥ 120 °C), cell pressure (200kPa), and current density (≥ 1.5 A cm-2), doubling the hydrogen output of the cell.
Hydrogen energy will play a vital role in reducing global carbon emissions, particularly in hard-to-decarbonize sectors like heavy industry, transportation, and energy storage. Between 2023 and 2030, low-emmision hydrogen production will have grown fiftyfold, with green hydrogen, made via electrolysis using renewable electricity, increasing ninefold in the past three years. Unfortunately, green hydrogen remains 1.5-6 times more expensive than traditional, emission-intensive hydrogen due to high production costs, limited infrastructure, and reliance on renewable energy availability. Addressing these challenges requires significant advancements in electrolyser technology, policy support, and investment in scalable production systems.
Alkaline Water Electrolysers (AWE) is a mature, cost-effective technology offering improved durability and avoiding the need for precious metal electrodes. However, due to limitations in its membrane technology, AWE operates at lower energy density (0.2--0.8 A cm⁻²), pressure (atmospheric), and temperature (80°C), resulting in 20% less efficiency than Proton Electron Membrane Water Electrolysers (PEMWE).
The AMWA project addresses this challenge through the development of high-performance, cost-effective AWE cells. Key innovations include single stage, scalable production of an integrated Membrane-Electrode Assembly (MEA) using a novel multi-technology multi-material 3D printer. This innovative approach enables electrodes to be printed using a novel nickel-based powder and deposition of Acrylated polyether Sulfone-Yttria Stabilised Zirconia (APES) for membrane, this gives thinner membranes (≤200 µm), with smaller pores (≤100 nm), as well as foam mesh structured electrodes with a high surface area, offering reduced ohmic loss and enabling higher temperatures, pressures, and current densities with lower gas crossover. These enhancements double hydrogen output while introducing a simplified, compact design. The new 3D-printed MEA will undergo rigorous testing to ensure optimal performance. To fast-track the route to commercialisation a Water Electrolysis Advisory Board with global stakeholders has been identified.
The project unites a consortium of leading organizations with complementary expertise. From Germany, the Fraunhofer Institute for Ceramic Technologies and Systems (IKTS) contributes expertise in electrolysis, while PMCtec specializes in high-performance metal powders. From the UK, the Additive Manufacturing Centre of Excellence (AM-COE) with expertise in novel materials and technologies for 3D printing ceramics and composites, and the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) houses the UK's National Centre for Additive Manufacturing.
This international collaboration balances research, innovation, and exploitation between the UK and Germany, with shared potential for intellectual property and economic benefits. Beyond these gains, the project advances green hydrogen production technology, helping both nations achieve critical net-zero targets essential for combating climate change.