MEA Cost Reduction through Manufacturing Approaches and Material-Level Innovation

Globally, the demand for proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) has been growing exponentially. For this growth to continue, it is imperative that the cost of PEMFC technology continues to decrease. While most cost reduction strategies focus on a reduction in the loading of platinum group metals (PGMs), for a large portion of the fuel cell community, these approaches are not yet viable as they require advanced system strategies and unification of the system, stack, membrane electrode assembly (MEA), and component teams which is not widely achieved in the broader fuel cell market. Unlike prior discussions on this topic which depend upon the incorporation of novel materials or significantly larger manufacturing volumes, in this overview, more immediately achievable cost reduction methods are examined to determine a reasonable cost target that can be achieved without having to target ultralow PGM loadings. It will be shown that through rational selection of available Pt/C catalysts for specific applications, sourcing of core materials within China, and improvements in the production process to reduce waste, the MEA price can reach levels of <USD 0.06 W⁻¹ even with conventional PGM loadings (e.g., 0.07 mg cm⁻² anode and 0.3 mg cm⁻² cathode).