11-06-2007: Max Planck Innovation GmbH has signed an exclusive license agreement with BWT subsidiary FuMA-Tech GmbH for a patent covering a novel material for fuel cell membranes, its synthesis and use.
The novel material, sulfonated poly(arylene) bears the potential to overcome some of the limitations of existing fuel cell membranes as it exhibits unprecedented hydrolytic and thermo-oxidative stability, very high conductivity also at low humidification levels and very low methanol uptake.
"We will use the material for the development of novel membranes for direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs) and intermediate temperature hydrogen fuel cells as it provides for better efficiency and more chemical stability than existing polymers," said Dr Bernd Bauer, Managing Director of FuMA-Tech. "However we may also explore applications in batteries, electrolysis, electrodialysis, water preparation and others."