LuFo VII-I PolKa
Table of contents
PolKa (20M2441A+C)
Reference to Funding within the framework of LuFo VII-1
Duration: 01.10.2025 – 01.09.12.2028
In the PolKa research and development project - "Development of interconnecting porous carbon fiber cathodes for use in platinum-free high-temperature polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells" - the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), the Institute of Process Engineering and Environmental Technology (IVU) and the Institute of Lightweight Engineering and Polymer Technology (ILK) at the TUD Dresden University of Technology are working on the development of novel cathode structures for high-temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cells (HT-PEMFC). The project is being funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy as part of the LuFo-VII-1 aviation research program. The aim is to reduce the costs of HT-PEMFCs by substituting platinum cathodes. To this end, porous carbon fibers (pCF) are to be developed that serve as a gas-permeable and simultaneously catalytically active cathode material. Special emphasis is placed on the production of an interconnecting pore structure and on optimizing the catalytic activity by activating the carbon fibres and coating them using pulsed laser deposition (PLD).
HT-PEMFCs are a forward-looking technology, especially for aviation, as they improve the electrochemical process kinetics through higher operating temperatures, increase the resistance of the cathodes to impurities and simplify cooling. These advantages are of central importance for use in aircraft, where the aerodynamic resistance of large heat exchangers must be minimized. Despite their potential, HT-PEMFCs are still at an early stage of development, which requires considerable research efforts.
At the ILK, the continuous production of tailor-made pCFs is being investigated, whereby a multi-scale pore structure of interconnecting meso- and macro-pores is adjusted in a targeted manner in order to maximize both gas transport and catalytic activity. In parallel, IVU is researching the coating of these fibers with non-platinum metals using the PLD process in order to analyze synergies between the surface structure and the electrochemical properties of the metals. Initial preliminary tests on non-catalytically optimized carbon fibres are already showing promising results and confirm the feasibility of the planned procedure.
HoKaidu (20E2405)
Reference to Funding within the framework of LuFo VII-1
Duration: 01.01.2026 – 31.12.2028
In the project ‘Highly Sensitive and Spatially Resolved Carbon Fiber Strain Sensor for Autonomous Mobility Applications’ - HoKaidu, the Institute of Lightweight Engineering and Polymer Technology (ILK) of Dresden University of Technology is aiming to conduct further research into a new type of spatially resolving strain sensor made of carbon fibers (C-sensor). In previous studies, a carbon fiber (CF) roving was integrated into a thermoset material and then pre-treated or functionalized. Within the project described here, thermoplastic materials in the form of tapes are to be used instead of thermoset materials. These C-sensors based on thermoplastic tapes can be produced cost-effectively and in large quantities and can be integrated into established and highly automated fiber composite production processes. The technology is currently at an early Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 3 and is to be raised to TRL 4 within the project. Thermoplastic tapes with integrated C-sensors are to be developed on the basis of a catalog of requirements drawn up together with associated partners. For this purpose, the thermoplastic tapes will be produced via a subcontract (SC). The subsequent functionalization is to be carried out both by mechanical loading of the sensor element and by laser structuring of the tape via another SC. In addition to determining the basic sensor properties such as sensitivity and maximum achievable strain range, the long-term behavior of the sensor elements under constant load or constant strain (creep behavior or relaxation behavior) is to be investigated. Other aspects of the project include the development of evaluation and assessment methods and the integration of the C-sensor into an aviation demonstrator.