Green hydrogen can be produced by splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen using renewable electricity. Anion exchange membrane (AEM) water electrolysis is one approach being explored to support this transition.

Our work focuses on the research needed to move from individual catalysts, electrodes and membranes to an operating electrolysis cell. Performance at a small active area does not automatically translate to a larger cell: flow distribution, gas removal, electrical contact, temperature and compression all influence operation.

We developed a modular research cell family with 1, 5 and 25 cm² active areas to investigate these questions and support the development of AEM electrolysis technology for green hydrogen production.

The cells use machined SS316L plates with flow channels, replaceable sealing components and bolted assembly. This allows electrodes and membranes to be changed between experiments and components to be inspected after testing.

The three sizes support different stages of our work:

• 1 cm²: initial material screening.
• 5 cm²: electrode and membrane evaluation.
• 25 cm²: larger-area testing and investigation of cell operating behaviour.

Experimental setup

Our laboratory setup combines the research cell, electrolyte reservoirs, circulation hardware and a programmable DC power supply. We also developed PC-based data acquisition to record current and voltage over time.

Timestamped measurements help us relate changes in cell behaviour to adjustments in operating conditions and identify interruptions or unexpected events during a run.

What we are investigating

We are interested in how flow-field geometry, electrolyte circulation, gas bubbles, temperature and assembly conditions influence cell performance. Moving between active areas helps us investigate behaviour that may not be apparent in small-sample experiments.