Johnson Matthey (JM), as part of leading European consortium GAIA (next Generation AutomotIve membrane electrode Assemblies), has helped deliver a fuel cell power density of 1.8 W/cm² @ 0.6V. This represents a 20% increase versus state-of-the-art technology. This market-leading result marks a significant step forward for fuel cell technology and JM’s net-zero aspirations.

Working alongside BMW, Freudenberg, 3M and others, JM said it had been instrumental in delivering this step-change, supplying critical components within the fuel cell stack: the membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs).

The increased power density will lower overall stack cost, in turn helping to advance the commercialization of fuel-cell-powered vehicles. This helps with the decarbonization of the entire transport sector.

The GAIA project, which started in January 2019 and will run for 3.5 years, aims to develop a high-performance automotive MEA that provides the materials and designs that satisfy the cost target by providing high power density at high current density, while also attaining the other essential objectives of durability, reliability and high operation temperature. Its intention is to:

• Realize the potential of these components in next generation MEAs showing a step-change in performance that will largely surpass the state of the art by delivering a beginning of life power density of 1.8 W/cm² at 0.6 V;

• Validate the MEA performance and durability in full size cell short stacks, with durability tests of 1,000 h with extrapolation to 6,000 h.

• Provide a cost assessment study that demonstrates that the MEAs can achieve the cost target of 6 €/kW for an annual production rate of 1 million square meters.