Nov 12, 2025
The project partners Hahn-Schickard have successfully demonstrated a 1000-hour durability test of an iridium-free AEM electrolysis cell with a remarkably low degradation rate of 7 µV/h. With MEA components provided by ionysis, and a long-term durability test bench developed by Hahn-Schickard, the successful test marks a relevant step towards scalable and sustainable hydrogen production.
As part of the project “105scaled”, funded by the German federal ministry for research, technology and space (BMFTR), Hahn-Schickard has developed and commissioned a novel electrolysis test bench specifically designed to evaluate the operational durability of anion-exchange membrane (AEM) electrolysis cells under realistic operating conditions. This infrastructure enabled now the first 1000-hour test of an iridium-free, anion-exchange membrane water electrolysis cell.
The membrane electrode assembly (MEA) components were engineered by ionysis GmbH, leveraging their expertise in hydrocarbon-based electrochemical materials. Hahn-Schickard assembled the full electrolysis cell and conducted the test, which demonstrated an exceptionally low degradation rate of just 7 µV/h after 1000 h of operation.
This milestone validates the long-term performance of next-generation AEM electrolyzer MEAs and marks a major achievement in the project “105scaled” (“Scalable Hydrocarbon CCMs for Next-Generation Technologies: Heavy-Duty Fuel Cells at 105°C and Iridium-Free Alkaline Electrolysis”) funded by Germany’s Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR). The initiative, coordinated by the University of Freiburg, aims to replace PFAS-based membranes with safer, scalable hydrocarbon alternatives for fuel cells and electrolyzers.
“Achieving stable continuous operation under laboratory conditions requires careful system design,” said Tim Kiefer, developer of the Hahn-Schickard test bench. “Building on previous work at Hahn-Schickard, we are now able to perform reliable long-term measurements in an alkaline environment.” “Working with commercial partners like ionysis provides a supply of tailored and reliable components needed for comparable results”, added Frieder Junginger, 105scaled project leader at Hahn-Schickard.
“This outcome is great proof of our excellent collaboration within the project,” said Matthias Breitwieser, CTO of ionysis. “By combining Hahn-Schickard's skills in characterization equipment and our MEA technology we were able to meet today’s customer expectation for AEM electrolyzer component durability.”
The 105scaled project runs through June 2026, with the goal of bringing hydrocarbon-based MEAs significantly closer to market deployment.
About Hahn Schickard and Electrochemical Energy Systems Group
The Junior Research Group "Electrochemical Energy Systems" (EES) focuses on integrating the latest material developments into advanced electrochemical devices such as fuel cells, electrolyzers, and batteries. Based at the University of Freiburg and the Hahn-Schickard Institute for Microanalysis Systems in Freiburg, EES specializes in polymer electrolyte membrane systems, including both proton and anion exchange membranes. The group’s expertise extends from material development and advanced manufacturing to state-of-the-art characterization. In close cooperation with the University of Freiburg, the EES division at Hahn-Schickard develops and integrates novel testing setups and analytical tools – from material diagnostics to full cell testing – supporting both applied research and fundamental investigations.
About ionysis
ionysis GmbH develops highly efficient, emission-free and sustainable core components for fuel cells and electrolyzers. This includes the so-called "membrane electrode assemblies" with a significantly reduced content of perfluorinated substances. The aim is to further develop novel, more performant and environmentally friendly membrane electrode assemblies and to demonstrate their technical feasibility on a large scale. ionysis began operations in September 2022, and by end of 2024, it has grown to a team of 26 people. The foundation for this spin-off from Hahn-Schickard and the University of Freiburg was established through several publicly funded research projects. The company secured seed financing by two strategic partners. The ISO 9001 certification was issued by DEKRA.
Contact:
Dr. Matthias Breitwieser (CTO): matthias.breitwieser@ionysis.com
Dr. Carolin Klose (Head of Division, EES): carolin.klose@hahn-schickard.de