{"id":9496,"date":"2026-05-19T15:04:57","date_gmt":"2026-05-19T13:04:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hch2.de\/?post_type=aktuelles&p=9496"},"modified":"2026-05-19T15:04:57","modified_gmt":"2026-05-19T13:04:57","slug":"the-grail-quest-of-membrane-researchers","status":"publish","type":"aktuelles","link":"https:\/\/hch2.de\/en\/news\/the-grail-quest-of-membrane-researchers\/","title":{"rendered":"The Grail Quest of Membrane Researchers"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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They are invisible yet indispensable: membranes save lives and play a crucial role in the production of hydrogen. Research is constantly striving to improve them. Aachen-based membrane expert Prof. Matthias Wessling<\/a><\/strong><\/strong> even speaks of a search for the Holy Grail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anyone who loves coffee knows the importance of the filter: it lets the aromatic liquid pass through while holding back the coffee grounds. The coffee filter is a simple and well-known form of membrane. \u201cMany will recall the semipermeable membrane<\/a> from their biology lessons,\u201d says Matthias Wessling, Professor of Chemical Process Engineering at RWTH Aachen University and one of the world\u2019s leading experts in membrane technology. \u201cThe desired substances pass through the membrane, while the undesired ones are retained.\u201d So far, so simple.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But membranes can do far more: for example, they can filter gases out of liquids. This saves lives by removing carbon dioxide from the blood and thereby increasing oxygen levels when the lungs can no longer perform this task sufficiently. In hydrogen production via electrolysis<\/a>, membranes prevent the generated hydrogen and oxygen from following their natural tendency to recombine into water. Their filtration function is therefore a fundamental prerequisite for storing energy in the form of hydrogen. It is what allows humans to decide when the energy released upon the recombination of hydrogen and oxygen should be made available.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Highly specialised and durable<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Research has produced many complex, specialised materials. \u201cOne challenge remains: PFAS \u2013 per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances,\u201d says Wessling. This group of chemicals \u2013 often referred to as \u201cforever chemicals\u201d \u2013 has certain advantages: they are extremely durable and ensure that membranes function reliably even under demanding conditions. Such conditions include the oxidative environment found in electrolysers, where high levels of oxygen cause materials to readily lose electrons \u2013 that is, to oxidise. PFAS are remarkably stable under these circumstances. \u201cAt present, there is nothing better,\u201d Wessling notes. In technical plants and controlled environments, PFAS can be handled safely. They are also used in everyday items. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

And this is where problems arise: according to the European Food Safety Authority, PFAS may pose health risks, including possible impacts on the immune system. Almost everyone is exposed to them, for example through water-repellent clothing or coated pans and pots. Once released, PFAS barely degrade in the environment or in the human body \u2013 a forever chemical with unwanted risks and side effects. Broader regulation within the EU may also have implications for research. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMembranes that remain stable for long periods and do not rely on PFAS \u2013 that would be like finding the Holy Grail,\u201d says Wessling. The search has been under way for a long time, and first advances have already been made: PFAS-free membranes with demonstrably similar beneficial properties have been developed in the laboratory. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cMembranes that remain stable for long periods and do not rely on PFAS \u2013 that would be like finding the Holy Grail.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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Prof. Matthias Wessling<\/strong>, Professor of Chemical Process Engineering at RWTH Aachen University<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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Industrial-scale test facility<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

However, these new materials often lose their properties after only a few days. For electrolysers, which must function reliably for ten years, this is far too little. Wessling emphasises: \u201cThe chemistry is anything but trivial. It is not only a matter of developing PFAS-free membranes. The production pathway must also be sustainable \u2013 otherwise we simply shift the problem elsewhere.\u201d The challenge therefore concerns both the material itself and its manufacture, as well as other components of hydrogen technology that degrade during operation. \u201cIt\u2019s not just the membranes that are unstable \u2013 catalysts also change during use.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wessling sees substantial potential for advancing this research in the DERIEL project (\u201cDe-risking Electrolyser\u201d), established at Forschungszentrum J\u00fclich. RWTH Aachen University is a project partner, including Wessling and his team. DERIEL is an industrial-scale test facility that enables researchers to understand more precisely how materials in an electrolyser age and lose performance \u2013 with the goal of developing more stable, lower-risk and more cost-effective materials. Beyond materials research, DERIEL<\/a> also allows hydrogen production at industrial scale to be qualified for the market under real-world conditions. \u201cWe need to move from craftsmanship to serial production,\u201d Wessling says. \u201cComplex systems for the global market \u2013 that is an opportunity for Germany and for our region. We are capable of this.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Knowledge is a currency<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Even if PFAS cannot be avoided entirely, Wessling sees possible solutions \u2013 for example through encapsulation, which securely encloses problematic substances. \u201cWe will not be able to dispense with chemical auxiliaries altogether. What matters is understanding how to avoid risks \u2013 either by safely enclosing PFAS or by doing without them.\u201d Knowledge, he says, is key. \u201cKnowledge is a currency \u2013 especially when it is as concentrated as it is here in our region.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The copyright for the images used on this website is held by Forschungszentrum J\u00fclich, aligator kommunikation GmbH and stock.adobe.com.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":9468,"template":"","categories":[253,252,254],"tags":[321,278,282,320],"class_list":["post-9496","aktuelles","type-aktuelles","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-forschung-en","category-general-en","category-wasserstoff-en","tag-forschung","tag-general","tag-general-en","tag-hydrogen"],"yoast_head":"\nThe Grail Quest of Membrane Researchers - HCH2<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/hch2.de\/en\/news\/the-grail-quest-of-membrane-researchers\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The Grail Quest of Membrane Researchers - HCH2\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"They are invisible yet indispensable: membranes save lives and play a crucial role in the production of hydrogen. 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