This project addresses the scale up of manufacture of novel membrane materials to serve the energy storage market and the hydrogen economy more generally. Membranes and MEAs are core to ITMs business and are presently made manually in small batch processes, whilst offering great flexibility this fails to fully utilise all of the cost advantages that these materials offer. The ability to improve reproducibility and decrease costs by automating manufacture is key to long term success. ITM has patented the concept of "one-step" production, which covers the process of curing the membrane chemical component between a layer of catalysts
and/or electrode structures, the realisation of this production route in a manner which can produce high volume and reproducible MEAs not only reduces costs, but also increases performance and reliability as MEAs are not subjected to subsequent processes which can cause delamination to occur, reducing efficiency and lifetime of the system. The timeframe for development of an automated production process is now optimal, basic research has shown that ITM materials offer significant performance and cost benefits in both fuel cell and electrolyser applications. Electrolyser products have been developed and are now in external field trails, the initial product range has been launch commercially and sales are expected to grow throughout 2011, it is anticipated that by 2013 significant volume of MEAs
will be required to meet demand. Fuel cell membrane research continues to show world class results in power density and is generating enthusiasm in the commercial arena. The outcome of this project will be a process of automated manufacture for membranes and MEAs, with a demonstration plant manufactured which can be trialled and tested within the program. After the project completion this can then be replicated and expanded as production needs increase. The ability to develop this capability in house removes the requirement to share sensitive technical information and know-how to the wider community, thus protecting the IP held within the company.