Within the Institute of Chemical Engineering and Environmental Technology (CEET), the Working Group for Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Systems is at the forefront of innovative process and material development for fuel cells, hydrogen production and purification, life time optimization for fuel cells, catalyst characterization and manufacturing.

The team of young and open-minded scientists under the guidance of Prof. Viktor Hacker consists of several PhD-students, master students and student employees. The ecologic, economic and social relevance of the conducted research is supported and backed by third-party funding via the European Commission, the Austrian Research Promotion Agency and supported by various industrial and academic partners. The working group received the State Prize 2017 of the Austrian Ministry for Transport, Innovation and Technology (bmvit) for the project H2 mobility.

Numerous research project in the fields of:

•             Material development and testing for fuel cells

•             Long-term testing of fuel cell systems

•             Evaluation of degradation mechanisms for fuel cells

•             Material development and testing for chemical looping

•             Pre-pressurised hydrogen production via chemical looping processes

•             Generation and purification of hydrogen via the reformer steam iron cycle

•             Characterisation of the degradation of LI-ion cells at high temperatures

•             Development of catalysts and electrodes for Zn-Air flow batteries

•             Investigation of storage mechanisms of hydrogen in ionic liquids

Additional involvements

•             Annual summer-school on PEM fuel cells (cooperation with Yokohama National University)

•             Periodic workshops

•             Austrian representative in the International Energy Agency

• ACCEPTOR: Advanced ceramic supported oxygen carriers

• HyTechonomy: Hydrogen Technologies for Sustainable Economies

• B.GASUS: Fuel cell gas test system - Influence of pollutant gases in real driving operation

• FC-Core - Fuel cell production - development of core competences

• IEA Task 35 - 2 - IEA Advanced Fuel Cells Annex 35: Fuel Cells for Portable Applications

• IEA Task 31 - 2 - IEA Advanced Fuel Cells Annex 31: Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells

• Elektropower:  Efficient electrode materials for long-term stable PEM fuel cells with increased power density

• Biogas2H2 - On-site use of biogas for decentralised hydrogen production

• GODEFC - Graphene oxide based MEAs for the direct ethanol fuel cell

• HyPE-FC- High performance fuel cells for road, rail and boat traffic

• IAPUNIT - Development of an Innovative Auxiliary Power UNIT based on high-temperature PEM fuel cell and reforming technology for logistic fuels

• Precious metal free electrocatalysts for regenerative alkaline fuel cells

• PROTECT - Performance-Recovery Strategy & Advanced Control for Efficient Fuel Cell Operation

• H2GreenTECH - Strengthening cross border R&I capacities in ADVANCED HYDROGEN TECHNOLOGIES by developing synergies between enterprises, R&D centers and higher education

• PEMFC - Transfer of ex-situ measured properties to in-situ application of new high performance PEMFC electrocatalysts

• Bio-Loop - Chemical Looping for efficient biomass utilisation