Hydrogen electrolysis with high-performance plastics

Innovative materials and components for green hydrogen

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. 


Electrolyzer Stack Materials & Components - Your Advantages

Beneficial properties

Our thermoplastics guarantee outstanding chemical stability and resistance even at high operating temperatures, which contributes to an extended service life of the electrolysis stack components.

Easy to process

Our materials are efficient to process and can be realised without high investments in machinery and lengthy process chains, resulting in the economical production of AEL, AEM and PEM electrolysis systems.

Improved technological processes

Our advanced processes help to increase efficiency and extend the service life of your electrolyser stack.

Customised solutions

We offer specialised services and customised solutions tailored to your specific requirements and needs. From the first prototype to high-volume mass production.

Sustainability and CO₂ reduction

By using our high-quality materials, you support sustainability and contribute to reducing the CO₂ footprint in the production of electrolysis components. In addition, thermoplastics are generally recyclable.

Hydrogen Electrolyzer with Bipolar Plates Made from High-Performance Plastics

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.

Our bipolar plates combine the flexibility and processability of plastics with the conductivity of graphite. They are electrically conductive, highly chemically resistant and highly resistant to corrosion.
We offer the entire value chain from material development to series production in-house or via partners closely involved in development such as the Centre for Fuel Cell Technology in Duisburg, Germany (ZBT).

Cell frames made of high-performance plastics

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.


High-performance plastic Materials for electrolyzers

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:

  • PEEK is a high temperature resistant thermoplastic known for its exceptional chemical resistance and mechanical strength. It is often used in components that operate under high temperatures and aggressive chemical conditions. In electrolysers, PEEK is mainly found in the balance of plant (BOP) for technical and financial reasons, for example as a valve seat in hydrogen valves. PEEK materials for electrolysers can be found in our TECAPEEK portfolio.
  • PPS is also a semi-crystalline high-performance plastic with better chemical resistance than PEEK and excellent mechanical strength with a temperature resistance of up to 230°C. It is also available with 40% glass fibre reinforcement. Grades with 40% glass fibre reinforcement are also popular modifications to improve rigidity. This is mainly used for PEM electrolysers, whereas non-reinforced types are more commonly used for alkaline electrolysis. The reason for this is the glass fibres, which are not resistant to the potassium hydroxide solution (KOH). PPS is used for cell frames, among other things, as contact with oxygen (O2), hydrogen (H2), deionised water, 30% (KOH) at elevated temperatures has no effect on the plastic. PPS materials for hydrogen eceltrolysis can be found in our TECATRON portfolio.
  • PSU and PPSU are amorphous thermoplastics that are temperature-stable up to 160°C. They have very good chemical resistance to caustic potash (KOH) and PPSU in particular has very good impact strength, making it ideal for demanding environments. The amorphous structure means that very dimensionally stable components can be produced. PSU and PPSU materials can be found in our TECASON PSU and TECASON PPSU portfolio.
  • PP is a widely used choice for seals and other non-conductive components in electrolyzers due to its excellent chemical resistance and low cost. PP materials can be found in our TECAPRO portfolio.
  • PE is used in less demanding applications due to its resistance to various chemicals and its flexibility. Find more information on the material and an overview over our TECAFINE portfolio here.

Insulation panels in hydrogen electrolysis

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.