Gas diffusion layers for fuel cells and electrolyzers
- Mobility & Transport
- e-mobility
- Energy Storage
Robust, flexible, and performance-enhancing solutions
Nonwoven gas diffusion layers for efficient gas transport in electrolyzers and fuel cells
Today, fuel cells are already used in a range of different applications and are seen as a key energy source for the future. Gas diffusion layers (GDL) from Freudenberg Performance Materials help enhance the efficiency of this technology. In electrolyzers and fuel cells, they act as flow distributors, ensuring even distribution of reactant gases and effective water management. The materials are durable and highly flexible, delivering long-term performance with compression set levels stabilizing after just two cycles.
Key Features
- Management of all gas transport functions from the catalyst coated membrane (CCM) to the bipolar plate, along with excellent electrical properties
- High and resilient process reliability thanks to the unique carbon fiber base structure; strong resistance to compression cycles, supporting compensation of mechanical tolerances
- Smooth, best-in-class MPL (micro-porous layer) surface structure for maximum surface contact with the membrane (enhancing performance and protection)
- Customizable thickness, width, coating and impregnation options due to high vertical integration
- First fluorine-free / PFAS-free (=per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) versions available
Key Benefits
- Robust, flexible, and durable for optimized fuel cell and electrolyzer system performance
- Flexible and optimized for internal customer handling with high yield and low scrap rates, ideal for processes such as die cutting
- Customer-approved, certified, and reliable mass production processes for a wide range of mature serial products
- Individual product customization for optimal product-to-system-fit as well as adaptation to customer assembly processes
- Global product availability as well as local sales and engineering support (Americas, Europe and APAC)
Expert voice
“We work closely with our customers to develop the ideal gas diffusion layer“
Sarina Rothernburger, Sales Manager, Sales Manager Fuel Cell Components
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Fuel cell and electrolyzer expertise that drives progress
Freudenberg Performance Materials is the world’s leading supplier of nonwoven materials. Drawing on our innovative technology portfolio, we supply gas diffusion layer (GDL) materials for all polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) and direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) applications.
We have more than 20 years of experience in the field of fuel cells. Our research and development activities focus not only on performance and technical product features, but also on manufacturing efficiency and cost effectiveness.
We work closely with our customers to industrialize PEM fuel cell stacks and electrolyzers and have built a strong international network across the fuel cell value chain. Our expertise in gas diffusion layers - and their interaction with related systems and applications – enables us to offer a portfolio of GDLs that meet the highest demands of industries such as mobility, logistics, and energy.
Superior characteristics of GDL materials
GDL materials are one of the performance-critical components in fuel cells, acting both as the functional and the supporting structure for the membrane electrode assembly (MEA).
GDL materials from Freudenberg Performance Materials exhibit high electrical and thermal conductivity, protect the membrane from potential puncture damage, enable safe and productive downstream processing during MEA manufacturing. Additionally, the nonwovens are tailored for optimized mass transport according to fuel cell operating conditions. This optimization ensures the sufficient supply of hydrogen and oxygen (from air) reactants to the catalyst layers. At the same time, the movement of product water - in both gas and liquid forms - must be managed to keep catalyst sites accessible to reactants while preventing membrane dry-out.
This crucial water management is primarily achieved through our specially formulated micro-porous layer (MPL) coatings and treatments, which provide the perfect balance of electrical and thermal conductivity and hydrophobicity. The latest generation of Freudenberg GDL covers a wide range of applications: from automotive, requiring improved cold start behavior and very high mass transport capability for high current density operation, to highly humidified stationary systems, and applications under extremely dry operation conditions typical for open cathode back-up power fuel cells.
Applying the nonwoven technology invented by Freudenberg Performance Materials, our GDL’s unique three-dimensional fiber structures meet these challenging mass transport requirements. They also offer mechanical compressibility that helps to accommodate thickness variations of cell stack components such as bipolar plates and membranes.
Please download our “Fuel Cell Components” document to select the appropriate materials for your fuel cell application. In addition to fuel cells, Freudenberg’s carbon fiber-based nonwovens are also well suited for other applications such as hydrolysis or energy storage.
For Download
Please download our “Fuel Cell Components” document to select the appropriate materials for your fuel cell application. In addition to fuel cells, Freudenberg’s carbon fiber-based nonwovens are also well suited for other applications such as hydrolysis or energy storage.