Evonik is constructing a pilot plant in Marl, Germany, to produce its innovative and high-performance anion exchange membrane (AEM), DURAION®. This cutting-edge membrane plays a crucial role in AEM water electrolysis, enabling cost-effective green hydrogen production. The company is investing a low double-digit million euro amount in the plant and plans to begin operations by the end of 2025.
Expanding the Green Hydrogen Economy
“This strategic investment aligns with our goal of expanding our pioneering membranes,” informed Goetz Baumgarten, head of the Membranes and Fibres product line at Evonik’s High Performance Polymers business line. “These membranes are key enablers of the growing green hydrogen economy.”
Once fully operational, the Marl plant will produce DURAION® membranes at a quality suitable for commercial electrolyzer systems. The plant will produce enough membranes annually to support 2.5 GW of electrolysis capacity for hydrogen production. Additionally, it will manufacture reinforced membranes to meet increasing customer demand for advanced technology.
Advantages of AEM Technology
AEM technology offers significant cost advantages over conventional electrolysis methods by using less expensive materials for the cells. Moreover, it allows for high current densities and excellent efficiency, making it a promising solution for large-scale hydrogen production.
“The successful development of our DURAION® membrane was made possible through the combined expertise and technology within Evonik,” says Christian Däschlein, head of the New Growth Area Hydrogen Economy at Creavis, Evonik’s strategic innovation unit.
A High-Tech Membrane for Electrolysis
The designers of DURAION® membranes engineered them to selectively allow anions to pass through while preventing gases like hydrogen from escaping. These membranes must also withstand high pressure and temperatures, making them a critical component in electrolysis.
“By integrating polymer design, synthesis, engineering, membrane manufacturing, and customer feedback, we have successfully developed a cutting-edge product,” says Däschlein.
Scaling Up Production
Over the past year, Evonik has steadily increased the production capacity of intermediate products used in DURAION® membranes. As per the press release, the new plant in Marl leverages this expanded capacity, marking the next phase in the company’s membrane business growth.
