The Canadian-based company revealed its Pemion® material achieved performance and durability testing results that surpass internationally recognised standards from the US Department of Energy (DOE) and Hydrogen Europe.

Having been put through 1,000 hours of cyclical testing, the polymer was exposed to intermittent dry and wet conditions under high-voltage chemical stress, Ionomr said the Pemion exceeded the international recognised 20,000 cycle durability targets set out by the US DOE by more than two-fold.

Released in September 2022, Pemion has been designed to offer “superior” chemical, thermal, and mechanical stability, high conductivity, operational durability, and efficiency, which Ionomr says could dramatically reduce the unit cost of fuel cells.

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The company also stressed that Pemion is more environmentally friendly than more conventional fluorinated membranes and polymer technology, thanks to its decreased reliance on increasingly regulated materials.

Bill Haberlin, CEO of Ionomr Innovations, said the testing confirms that the material is a “differentiator” for fuel cell manufacturers looking to overcome the challenges of a tight supply market for conventical polymer and membrane materials.

“Fluorinated materials such as those currently used in fuel cells are good at what they do, but they require toxic and highly regulated chemicals to be produced,” said Haberlin.

He added, “As regulations continue to tighten, fuel cell and stack manufacturers will need to find practical material replacements. Pemion’s performance and durability record and environmentally benign hydrocarbon-base create a step-change alternative.”