INVESTIGADOR RESPONSÁVEL
Nome do Investigador Responsável (IR) do projeto: Daniela Gomes
Contacto IR: daniela.gomes@fct.unl.pt
Departmento: Departamento de Ciência dos Materiais (DCM)
UID: I3N CENIMAT
FINANCIAMENTO
Tipo de Financiamento: Público
Entidade Financiadora: Internacional
Referência da Call: Concurso 2025 LEAP-SE: cooperação Europa-África em energia sustentável
Referência: 2025.16739.LEAP-SE
Entidade proponente: Research and Technology Center of Energy (CRTEn), Tunisia
Montante total do projeto: N/A
Montante total para a NOVA: 114 000 euros
Taxa de financiamento: 100%
PROJETO
Acrónimo: BioHyPHEM
Título do Projeto:
Membranas e Catalisadores de Base Biológica para Células de Combustível PEM e Eletrolisadores de Hidrogénio Verde de Elevado Desempenho
Data de início: 15/3/2026
Data de fim: 14/03/2029
Breve descrição do projeto:
In the BioHyPEM project, chitosan—a renewable polysaccharide to be developed by the project partners—will be chemically modified with poly (vinyl alcohol) (OPVA) to create a proton exchange membrane (PEM). The ITU team will demonstrate and validate the technology through a PEM fuel cell
and electrolyzer stack at Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 5.
Carbon-neutral targets by 2050 on energy, transportation and industry require substantial investment in renewable energy, energy efficiency, energy storage and alternative fuels. The global race toward climate neutrality has accelerated demand for clean hydrogen technologies, with Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) Fuel Cells (PEMFCs) and PEM Electrolyzers (PEMELs) emerging as frontrunners due to their high energy efficiency, modularity, and zero-emission operation [1].
However, the widespread deployment of PEM systems remains constrained by two critical and unresolved challenges Current PEM devices depend on perfluorinated membranes such as Nafion®, which are costly, environmentally persistent, and sourced from non-renewable fluoropolymers. These materials pose long-term ecological risks and hinder end-of-life recycling. In contrast, BioHyPEM valorizes agro-waste by engineering biodegradable, chitosan-based membranes reinforced with biochar and fibrous clay, offering a scalable, low-impact alternative. This biohybrid architecture enhances proton conductivity, mechanical resilience, and thermal stability, while aligning with EU–AU circular economy goals and reducing reliance on fossil-derived components.
Platinum-group metal (PGM) catalysts, long considered indispensable for key electrochemical reactions, pose critical barriers to sustainable hydrogen deployment. Their scarcity, geopolitical concentration, and high cost undermine supply chain resilience and perpetuate global inequalities in clean energy access. In contrast, BioHyPEM introduces a novel class of biochar-supported transition metal oxide catalysts (e.g., Cu/Ni, CoOx, MnOx), synthesized via low-temperature, green pyrolysis of metal salt-impregnated biomass. By valorizing biomass waste and eliminating critical raw materials, BioHyPEM offers a scalable, inclusive alternative to conventional catalyst systems, directly supporting EU–AU priorities for circular economy and decentralized hydrogen infrastructure [2-5].
