Workshop PFAS-free electrolysis
organized by the bi-national research project FFWD
On the 10th and 11th of June, 2026, about 70 participants from academia and industry will meet in Strasbourg to discuss challenges and perspectives for PFAS-free electrolysis.
The workshop will take place in the Grünewald Amphitheatre at the Campus Cronenbourg of CNRS.
A networking dinner in the city center will close the first day with room to exchange in a relaxed atmosphere.
Program
Day 1
9:00 Getting together
9:30 Official Welcome
9:45 Session: Material Development I
12:30 Lunch Break
14:00 Session: Material Development II
16:00 End of Day 1
Presentations from:
-
Host: Franco-German Project FFWD
-
EU Projects: PROMISERS, ECOPEM, FASTCH2ANGE
-
University of Freiburg, University of Savoie-Mont-Blanc
-
HI-ERN, KIT, MPI Stuttgart
-
... more to be announced soon
18:30 Networking Dinner in Strasbourg's historic city centre, the Grande Île, at the DrunkyStorkSocialClub
Day 2
9:00 Welcome
9:15 Session: Industrial progress, roadmaps and requirements
Presentations from:
-
Siemens Energy
-
Bosch
-
NovaMEA
-
Greenerity
-
Johnson Matthey
-
Wevo-Chemie
-
Michelin
-
Ionomr Innovations Inc.
-
...more to be announced soon
12:00 Lunch Break
13:30 Session: Characterization, imaging and modelling
Presentations from:
-
LEMTA - University of Lorraine
-
University of Strasbourg
-
CEA Grenoble
-
LEPMI Grenoble-INP
16:00 Closing Remarks
16:30 End of Workshop
PFAS-free electrolysis
State of the art
In state of the art, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are used as proton conductive ionomer and membrane in PEM electrolysis.
PFAS are so called « everlasting chemical » that are distributed all over the planet with severe consequences for the environment.
Additional to enviromental concerns, relatively high synthesis cost and poor thermo-mechanical properties at temperatures > 90°C motivate the development of PFAS-free electrolysis.
Known PFAS contamination sites in Europe, November 2023 (https://foreverpollution.eu/map/)
Hydrocarbon polymers
A PFAS-free alternative for proton conductive ionomer and membranes in PEM electrolysis are hydrocarbons, allowing for:
-
Higher operation temperature
-
Lower gas cross-over
-
Higher proton conductivity
-
Less environmental pollution & easier recycling
-
Reduced synthesis cost
-
More freedom for chemical functionalization
For the development of PFAS-free electrolysis, goals in FFWD are:
-
Identify challenges along the hydrocarbon MEA manufacturing chain starting from polymer synthesis
-
Identify degradation markers during performance and longterm testing
Register now!
Contact
Prof. Dr. Gaël Maranzana
Dr. Melanie Bühler
Acknowledgement
This event is hosted by the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique and the University of Strasbourg.
FFWD is funded on the German side by the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR) under the grant 03SF0781A and on the French side by the Agence Nationale de la Recherche (ANR) under the grant ANR-24-ENER-0005.
