Heraeus Precious Metals, a Germany-based metals firm, has announced a partnership with US-based clean chemical manufacturer Mattiq. This collaboration aims to develop and commercialize low-iridium catalysts. Specifically, they focus on their application in proton exchange membrane (PEM) water electrolyzers.
Addressing a Key Hindrance in Hydrogen Production
The joint project addresses a critical challenge in the production of zero-carbon hydrogen. Current PEM electrolyzers, a key technology for this process, require a significant amount of iridium. Therefore, the partnership seeks to reduce the quantity of iridium needed for these electrolyzers. Ultimately, the amount of iridium currently needed for PEM electrolyzers limits their large-scale manufacturing. As a result, this development holds the potential to make these devices more readily available for industry use by lowering the iridium requirement.
PGM Demand Outlook and Iridium Price Trends
Despite the hydrogen economy’s underperformance in recent years, and consequent pressure on iridium prices, the World Platinum Investment Council predicts a 32pc increase in platinum group metals (PGMs) demand in 2025. Moreover, they attribute this projected growth largely to the development of PEM electrolyzers and hydrogen fuel cells.
Johnson Matthey assessed iridium prices at $4,300/troy ounce (toz) on February 5th. This reflects a 5.5pc decrease from two months prior. The partnership between Heraeus and Mattiq could significantly impact the PGM market, as SuperMetalPrice has observed, and accelerate the adoption of hydrogen technologies.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.