Schaeffler makes hydrogen applications more cost-effective – and wins the MATERIALICA Award with its innovative technology
- Steel instead of titanium: Schaeffler Enertect coating range receives MATERIALICA Design + Technology Award 2023
- Award for sustainable high-performance coating system for metallic bipolar plates with optimised price-performance ratio
- Schaeffler expands modular coating range for hydrogen technology in fuel cells and PEM electrolysis
With its coating solution Enertect, motion technology company Schaeffler has won the prestigious MATERIALICA Design + Technology Award 2023 in the category “Material”.
The Enertect system enables cost-optimised and even more sustainable production of metallic bipolar plates for hydrogen applications. The award was presented at eMove360° Europe 2023, the international trade fair for electric & autonomous mobility, in Munich.
Commenting on its decision, the expert judging panel highlighted among other things the up to 99% lower carbon footprint of the Schaeffler coatings compared with other coatings available on the market.
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A total of 8 companies and organisations were nominated as finalists in the categories “Material”, “Product”, “Surface & Technology”, “CO2 Efficiency”, and “Student”. This is the fifth MATERIALICA Design + Technology Award that Schaeffler has garnered since 2014.
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Tim Hosenfeldt, Senior Vice President Corporate Research and Innovation & Central Technology at Schaeffler, commented as follows: “We are absolutely delighted to have won the MATERIALICA Award once again. Innovative coating solutions like Enertect play a key role in the sustainable mobility of the future, for example in the strategic future growth segment of hydrogen. This award shows that through our intensive R&D activities in surface technology, we are playing an important role towards making hydrogen technology sustainable and viable for the future.”
Enertect: cheaper and less CO2 throughout the entire product life cycle
The innovative, high-performance Enertect coating system is used in metallic bipolar plates with proton exchange membrane (PEM) for fuel cells and electrolyzers. The coating maintains a high electrical conductivity over the entire service life of the fuel cells and protects the base material from corrosion.
This means that in combination with the coating, less expensive and easily processed steel can be used instead of titanium. The coating, which was developed in-house, is particularly thin and is free of precious metals.
Thanks to its special nano-structured design, it is as robust and effective as a solution containing precious metals, but much more sustainable and less expensive.
This allows the carbon footprint of the coating to be reduced by more than 90%, while the carbon footprint of the entire metallic bipolar plate can be cut by 20%. From the beginning of 2024, Schaeffler will start producing bipolar plates with the Enertect PC+ coating in Haguenau in France in the Joint Venture “Innoplate” that it established in partnership with Symbio. Schaeffler is also continuing to develop the product for additional applications.
Schaeffler (UK) Ltd
- info.uk@schaeffler.com
- http://www.schaeffler.co.uk
- Unit 308 Fort Dunlop Fort Parkway Birmingham B24 9FD GB
About us
Schaeffler Group – We pioneer motion
Schaeffler (UK) Ltd holds a total of 180 years of bearing experience and know-how. As a leading rolling bearing specialist we provide customers with innovative bearing solutions from a single source for a variety of industries, as well as condition based maintenance solutions. Our technical knowledge is second to none. Whatever the application we have the solution for you.
Where we supply to
UK Ireland, Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia, South America, North America
Industries we supply to
Automation, Chemicals, Consultants, Components Electronics, Energy and Power, Food and Beverage, Glass Ceramics Cement, Metals and Minerals, OEM, Paper and Pulp, Pharmaceutical Cosmetics Toiletries, Plastics and Rubber, Recycling, Textiles, Tobacco, Water and Wastewater
