Celadyne, a decarbonization and hydrogen solution company, announced its expansion into heavy-duty systems with durable hydrogen fuel cells. Specifically, the project will be utilizing Celadyne’s Dura technology to develop and produce more durable fuel cells for heavy-duty applications in support of a larger decarbonization strategy for heavy-duty trucking and industrial applications.

Celadyne’s Dura technology makes fuel cells super durable by using advanced cells with three key qualities: thin membranes, fast movement of protons, and stopping gasses and ions from moving too much. It enables special membrane-electrode assemblies (MEAs) with thin Selective Transport (ST) layers next to or in the proton-exchange membrane (PEM).

These layers control the movement of gasses and ions without slowing down proton movement. Without these qualities, fuel cells wouldn’t last long enough for demanding jobs like heavy-duty trucking or for technologies like redox flow batteries.

The funding for this expansion is coming from a Collaborative Research Agreement established with the US Department of Energy (DOE). The CRA was formed to enhance the efficiency, performance, and overall sustainability of electric vehicles, and intends to focus its efforts on power electronics design, motor integration, thermal management, and system-level optimization for electric drive systems.

In 2023, the DOE put a total of $47 million into funding 16 green projects. One of these sixteen projects includes Celadyne’s partner in this development and production, General Motors.