Hydrogen Mobility Made in Italy
HYMOBITALY has developed an innovative power system based on proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC), entirely “made in Italy”, based on the implementation of innovative functional materials and concepts. HYMOBITALY’s activities have been carried out thanks to a close collaboration between the University of Padua (UNIPD) and the Polytechnic University of Bari (POLIBA). UNIPD has optimized the functional materials and manufacturing processes of the individual fuel cell components. POLIBA has designed and tested the performance of the modular PEMFC power system, based on LEGO-style modular PEMFC units.
On one side, UNIPD has developed innovative electrocatalysts (EC) that will, in perspective, allow the operation of PEMFCs with pure oxygen at high back pressure (up to 5 bar), improving energy conversion efficiency compared to existing solutions. These ECs have been used by UNIPD to create PEMFCs that have demonstrated the need for about 1.5–2 times less platinum compared to commercial counterparts.
POLIBA has devised a system that allows the connection of different PEMFC units into a single device, ensuring easy scalability in terms of rated power, size, and weight, while also minimizing the complexity of the components and engineering. In perspective, this PEMFC system will be suitable for a wide range of applications in the mobility sector, from drones to heavy-duty vehicles.
