Smoltek Hydrogen Has Been Recognized in Chemical Engineering – Nanofiber Technology Shows Dramatically Increased Catalytic Activity
This press release is an English version of the previously published Swedish version, which has interpretive precedence.
Smoltek Nanotech Holding AB (publ) (“Smoltek” or the “Company”) announces that its subsidiary Smoltek Hydrogen was recently featured in the internationally renowned industry journal Chemical Engineering. In the article, the company's nanofiber technology is highlighted as a solution with the potential to increase the catalytic activity in electrolyzers and which at the same time uses 95% less iridium with maintained activity - a breakthrough with great relevance for green hydrogen production and other sustainable energy applications.
Smoltek Hydrogen is proud to have been recognized by the well-known American trade journal Chemical Engineering, which in its April issue published an extensive article about the company's unique technology for greatly reducing the amount of iridium in PEM electrolyzers.
“The fact that Chemical Engineering is noticing us and contacting us for an interview confirms that we are addressing a very critical problem to produce fossil-free hydrogen, namely the shortage and cost of iridium. It also proves that our solution is unique and significant for future energy solutions”, says Ellinor Ehrnberg, CEO of Smoltek Hydrogen.
Chemical Engineering is one of the world's most respected publications in chemical and energy engineering. It reaches decision-makers, engineers and developers working on future energy solutions, including electrolyzers for the production of green hydrogen.
The article, titled ”Nanofibers dramatically increase catalytic activity for ultra-low-iridium electrolysis,” describes how Smoltek Hydrogen’s proprietary porous transport electrode (PTE) enables up to a 95 percent reduction in iridium content, without compromising the performance of the electrolyzer cell. Smoltek Hydrogen's solution means that iridium is deposited directly onto an electrically conductive material (the porous transport layer), instead of onto a plastic membrane, which requires only a a very thin layer of iridium. In addition, Smoltek's proprietary carbon nanofibers enable an up to thirty-fold increase in catalytic surface area – an innovation that no other player on the market can match.
The article also describes Smoltek Hydrogen's strategic partnership with Heraeus Precious Metals and the promising results achieved in laboratory tests. The company plans to start small-scale industrial production in 2026, with the goal of scaling up to full commercial capacity in 2027.