SBIR Phase II: Advanced alkaline electrolyzer stack for hydrogen peroxide onsite production

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) project is a significant advance in the production of hydrogen peroxide. It is anticipated that this project will yield an on-site generation method that substantially reduces the cost of peroxide production compared to the traditional centralized chemical process. By reducing cost, hydrogen peroxide can be used more widely as an oxidizer in bleaching, drinking water and wastewater treatment, and other processes, ultimately lowering chlorine pollution by replacing chlorine-based oxidizers. The pulp/paper and textiles industry will benefit from lower cost bleaching chemicals and reduced treatment costs. This method reduces environmental pollution and eliminates the need for transportation of explosive high-concentration hydrogen peroxide. The new design may have applications in other industrial systems. This SBIR Phase II project proposes to demonstrate a scaled-up high efficiency alkaline hydrogen peroxide electrolyzer system. The end result will be a commercial demonstration-ready prototype. The electrode manufacturing process will be optimized for high-volume manufacturing on roll-to-roll coating lines. Electrolyzer prototypes will be built and tested at medium scale with a moderate cell count, then improved and scaled to full-size cells with a high cell count. Durability testing will be performed, including development of accelerated testing protocols, to facilitate screening of electrode materials and assess manufacturing variations implemented in roll-to-roll coating. These individual project goals will culminate in a commercial pilot-ready autonomous system for on-site generation of hydrogen peroxide. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.