BASF Forms Fuel Cell Subsidiary; Portfolio on Display at Hanover Fair

12 April 2007

BASF has formed a new fuel cell subsidiary—BASF Fuel Cell—from its own fuel cell work combined with the activities acquired from PEMEAS and Engelhard in 2006. The newly-founded subsidiary will be a supplier of membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs), gas diffusion electrodes and catalysts.

PEMEAS was founded in April 2004 as a spin-off of the former Hoechst Group’s fuel cell activities. PEMEAS was pursuing two strategies. The Celtec division focuses on the development and commercialization of membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) for high temperature polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cells. The E-TEK division develops and manufactures catalysts, gas diffusion layers and electrodes for low and high temperature PEM fuel cells as well as for direct methanol fuel cells (DMFC).

BASF Fuel Cell will present its product portfolio and technologies for the first time at the 2007 Hanover Trade Fair and at the opening press conference of the hydrogen and fuel cell exhibition on April 16.

Included in the product portfolio are:

• Celtec, the only commercially available high-temperature MEA enabling operation temperatures of 120-180° C (248-356° F), thus making fuel cells simpler and more cost-effective.

• LT-MEA product line of low-temperature membrane electrode assemblies for PEM and direct methanol fuel cells. BASF Fuel Cell uses proprietary catalysts and electrodes, and is developing its own membranes.

• ELAT product line of gas diffusion layers and electrodes for low- and high-temperature PEM fuel cells as well as DMFC.

• Selectra product line consists of catalysts for reformation and gas purification and fuel cell catalysts.