In hydrogen electrolysis, electrical energy is used to initiate a chemical reaction in which water molecules are split into their components hydrogen and oxygen. Alkaline water electrolysis (AEL) plays a decisive role in the energy transition due to its high technical readiness level (TRL). In alkaline electrolysis, hydrogen is produced by splitting water into oxygen and hydrogen in an alkaline solution.
Thermoplastics play a central role in hydrogen production by electrolysis, particularly due to their excellent chemical resistance, low weight and insulating properties. These plastics are used in various components of electrolyzers such as bipolar plates, cell frames and insulating plates. In an alkaline electrolyzer, the high resistance of the materials used to alkaline conditions plays a key role and makes a decisive contribution to hydrogen electrolysis efficiency.
Ensinger offers a wide range of high-performance plastics and customised solutions for hydrogen electrolysis. It´s not only alkaline electrolyzers that benefit from the favourable chemical, mechanical and thermal properties of our products. With our comprehensive expertise and innovative strength, we are a leading supplier in the growing hydrogen economy and offer customised solutions for Polymer Exchange Membrane Electrolysis - PEM and alkaline electrolysis and AEM electrolysis (Axion Exchange Membrane Electrolysis), from material selection to the finished component.
Bipolar plates are central components in electrolyzers. They serve as an electrical connection between the individual cells of an electrolyzer stack and enable the flow of electrons through the cells. They conduct the electric current, distribute the reaction gases evenly across the electrodes, and remove the resulting water and other products. Bipolar plates can be made of metals, graphite or special polymer-graphite composites. Pure graphite plates are traditionally widely used due to their excellent electrical conductivity and corrosion resistance. However, they are brittle and relatively expensive. Metallic bipolar plates are often made of stainless steel or titanium and coated with a corrosion-resistant layer to increase their service life. These plates offer high conductivity and mechanical strength, but are more expensive to manufacture.
With our bipolar plates made of thermoplastics, we close this gap and offer solutions for modern electrolyzers that offer numerous advantages such as simplified production and improved long-term stability.
Cell frames are central components in electrolysis stacks. They provide the essential structural stability, enable an efficient electrolyte and gas flow and contribute significantly to the tightness of the system. They also absorb the forces in the stack caused by the media pressure and the tensioning of the cell stack.
The use of high-performance plastics for cell frames offers additional advantages. These materials offer excellent corrosion resistance and are also lightweight, which relieves the overall structure of the system. In addition, high-performance plastics ensure high strength and a long service life even under extreme operating conditions, which further increases the reliability and efficiency of the electrolysis systems.
The production of large cell frames for the alkaline electrolysis stacks and the high geometric requirements pose particular challenges for material expertise and automation technology. Ensinger scores with its holistic approach, in which we evaluate the components together with our material experts from the compounds division and the production specialists from various processing technologies, and develop them to series maturity.
Thermoplastics used in electrolysis must have a variety of properties in order to fulfil the requirements in this area. In general, thermoplastic components offer corrosion resistance, low weight, ease of manufacture and cost-effective production as they can be manufactured by injection moulding or extrusion.
With our comprehensive portfolio of high-performance plastics for hydrogen electrolysis, we offer a wide range of customised materials:
Depending on the design of the electrolysis stack, insulating plates are essential for operation, as they insulate the end plates electrically and chemically from the inside of the stack. These components are critical to structural integrity, enabling efficient electrolyte and gas flow and ensuring optimal performance throughout the electrolysis process.
High-performance plastics offer additional benefits due to their excellent corrosion resistance and low weight. Their production by injection moulding or extrusion is simple and cost-effective. Our insulating plates are characterised by high resistance to chemical influences and extreme operating conditions, which extends their service life and increases the reliability of the entire system.
