Shanghai. Evonik’s Innovation Factory has opened an Anion Exchange Membrane (AEM) application technology center to test its high-performance DURAION® membranes in real-world operating conditions.
The Evonik AEM Center Shanghai is the company’s first such facility in the region. Its core mission will be to test and optimize the integration of the high-performance DURAION® membranes, which are manufactured at commercial scale in Marl, Germany, under real-life operating conditions to ensure they meet the specific needs of local customers.
“With the establishment of the Evonik AEM Center Shanghai, we are significantly strengthening our ability to address the rapidly growing hydrogen-applications market in China - and also beyond,” says Jack Zhang, Vice President and General Manager Asia Pacific, High Performance Polymers business line. “Being close to customers and partners allows us to better align our AEM technology with market needs, accelerate adoption, and scale up hydrogen solutions for commercialization worldwide.”
The site will also function as a collaborative hub where the Innovation Factory’s local experts and area partners can work to address technological challenges across the entire AEM electrolysis value chain.
“The AEM center plays a key role in the continued advancement of our AEM technology,” says Dr. Ryan Liu, Director Strategic Projects and Head of RD&I Greater China, “It will enable faster development cycles for DURAION® membranes and also a deeper understanding of AEM-based electrolysis systems as a whole.”
Built on Evonik’s long-standing expertise in polymer chemistry, membrane technologies, and electrochemical materials, the AEM center’s specialized laboratories feature demonstration-scale electrolysis testing capabilities. These include advanced electrolyzer test benches to assess the performance and long-term durability of the membranes under actual operating conditions. Overall, these facilities will support the full validation pathway — from single-cell testing to demonstration-scale systems — ultimately enabling the industrial application of DURAION® membranes in AEM electrolysis.
Anion Exchange Membrane electrolysis is a process that can generate green hydrogen from water. Compared to other hydrogen electrolysis solutions, it offers great flexibility in power supply and has lower investment costs due to the use of less expensive materials.
“The energy transition is accelerating, with green hydrogen from AEM technology as a key potential for defossilizing industry and transportation,” says Fuliang Xia, President of Evonik Greater China. “The Evonik AEM Center Shanghai will strengthen Evonik’s contribution towards this goal, by optimizing our DURAION® anion exchange membranes in one of the world’s most dynamic markets for climate-neutral hydrogen applications and water electrolysis technologies.”
