Jan 23, 2026
ionysis has released its first high‑temperature proton-exchange membrane fuel cell (HT‑PEMFC) membrane-electrode-assemblies (MEAs), developed jointly with the University of Freiburg within the project “105scaled” funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). The MEAs achieved beyond 1 A/cm² at 0.6 V at 160 °C, matching industry benchmarks for HT‑PEMFC technology.
Freiburg, Germany – ionysis announces the successful fabrication of its first scalable HT‑PEMFC prototype membrane-electrode-assemblies (MEAs), marking an important milestone for the ionysis pilot product portfolio. The development was conducted within the BMBF‑funded project “105scaled” (grant number: 03SF0719C), initiated jointly by ionysis and its research partners Hahn‑Schickard and the University of Freiburg.
Based on initial activities at the University of Freiburg, ionysis transferred and optimized now the MEA laboratory‑scale concepts to scalable coating processes, enabling the fabrication of HTPEMF-MEAs for future industrial production.
Performance testing of the newly developed single cells showed strong results: At typical operation conditions at a cell temperature of 160 °C without external gas humidification and 150 kPa back pressure, typical industry benchmarks for state‑of‑the‑art HT‑PEMFC membrane-electrode-assemblies – beyond 1 A/cm² at 0.6 V were met. With this, ionysis takes a meaningful step towards novel high‑temperature fuel cell solutions that support both decarbonization and sustainable materials innovation.
“Together with the university team, we lead the foundation for novel HT-PEMFC prototypes, and at ionysis we transferred the MEA design to high performance catalyst materials and scalable production methods. The next step is the field-test of these prototypes. We are actively seeking for validation partners, that test our novel prototypes” said Dr. Matthias Breitwieser, CTO ionysis.
“This milestone demonstrates how academic innovation can be transferred into scalable fabrication without compromising performance. At EES, we will support the next phase with rigorous diagnostics to confirm durability and robustness under relevant operating conditions.” said Dr. Andreas Münchinger, Head of Division (EES).
The 105scaled project runs through June 2026, with the goal of bringing hydrocarbon-based MEAs significantly closer to market deployment.
About 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 beginning of 2026, 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. Andreas Münchinger (Head of Division, EES): andreas.muenchinger@imtek.uni-freiburg.de