What is PEM electrolysis for hydrogen production?

PEM (Proton Exchange Membrane) is the abbreviation for proton exchange membrane water electrolysis technology. Unlike alkaline water electrolysis for hydrogen production, PEM water electrolysis technology uses a proton exchange membrane as a solid electrolyte, replacing the diaphragm and liquid electrolyte—typically a 30% potassium hydroxide solution or a 26% sodium hydroxide solution—employed in conventional alkaline electrolyzers. Furthermore, PEM technology utilizes pure water as the feedstock for hydrogen production via water electrolysis, thereby avoiding potential issues of alkali contamination and corrosion.

During PEM electrolyzer operation, water molecules undergo an oxidation reaction at the anode side, losing electrons to produce oxygen and protons. Subsequently, the electrons are transferred through the external circuit to the cathode, while the protons, driven by the electric field, pass through the proton exchange membrane to the cathode, where they undergo a reduction reaction, gaining electrons to form hydrogen gas. The hydrogen and oxygen gases produced in this process are collected and transported via the bipolar plates at the anode and cathode, respectively.

Xingran PEM Water Electrolysis Hydrogen Production Technology

Compared with alkaline electrolysis for hydrogen production, PEM electrolysis boasts advantages such as high current density, high hydrogen purity, and rapid response. Since PEM electrolyzers use pure water as the electrolyte feedstock, the hydrogen produced contains no alkali mist, which helps to enhance hydrogen quality. The hydrogen purity typically achieved by Xingran Technology’s PEM electrolyzers is around 99.999%.

In PEM hydrogen production technology, the catalysts and membrane electrode materials used in the electrolyzer—the core site of the electrochemical reaction—are the key technological breakthroughs. Xingran Technology has independently developed an advanced one-step manufacturing process for ordered membrane electrodes, which consist of a three-in-one structure comprising a diffusion layer, a catalytic layer, and a proton exchange membrane. This innovative approach has increased the active surface area by more than 50% compared to conventional membrane electrodes.

Proton exchange membranes have low gas permeability, which helps prevent cross-contamination between hydrogen and oxygen gases. PEM electrolyzers do not require strict control of pressure on either side of the membrane, offering advantages such as rapid start-up and shut-down capabilities as well as quick response to power adjustments, making them well-suited for applications involving fluctuating inputs from renewable energy sources.

Jiangsu Xingran Technology focuses on the field of PEM water electrolysis for hydrogen production. By using electrolysis to split water into hydrogen and oxygen, the company is rapidly reducing hydrogen production costs and further enhancing efficiency. Currently, Xingran Technology’s PEM water electrolysis hydrogen production project has achieved technologically advanced capabilities and key product performance indicators that are among the leading ones both domestically and internationally.

Xingran Technology currently boasts a high-end laboratory and mass-production workshop spanning 5,000 m². The company has also planned and is preparing to build a modern standard factory in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, with a total construction area of up to 20,000 m². The company has recruited more than 30 domestic and international experts to focus on the R&D of ordered membrane electrodes. Its independently developed water electrolysis hydrogen production equipment can achieve hydrogen production rates ranging from 0.5 m³/h to 1,000 m³/h, with hydrogen production efficiency reaching 78% to 84%.

As a key municipal project, Xingran Technology leverages its innovative platforms and resource advantages to foster cluster effects within the upstream and downstream hydrogen energy industry chain. It further develops market-oriented industrial models for scientific and technological achievements and builds bridges of win-win cooperation with industry leaders and social capital.