Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg

FAU is a full-spectrum university with a long tradition of research. Long-standing partnerships with international research institutions such as Max Planck, Fraunhofer and Helmholtz give staff and students the opportunity to look beyond the boundaries of their own subjects, network with others and consider questions from different perspectives. FAU encourages its members to think in every direction. This diversity makes FAU one of Germany’s leading research universities.

The ELECTROLIFE research is hosted by the at the Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), nestled within the esteemed Chemical and Biological Engineering Department. Founded in 2023 by Prof. Bastian J.M. Etzold, who was honored with a Bavarian Distinguished Professorship, the institute stands at the forefront of pioneering research aimed at revolutionizing the chemical industry through sustainable innovation.

At the heart of the research mission of Prof. Bastian J.M. Etzold lies the commitment to harnessing sustainable feedstocks such as water, atmospheric or flue gas CO₂, and nitrogen from air, transforming these abundant resources into vital base chemicals through processes powered by sustainable electrical energy. These base chemicals are not only foundational to the chemical industry but also serve as key components in energy storage solutions, addressing critical needs for seasonal storage and long-distance energy transport. The research portfolio encompasses CO₂ capture through adsorption, electrocatalytic and heterogeneous catalyzed processes including alkaline water electrolysis. Thereby the research bridge from natural science to engineering, from materials synthesis to process design and from deducing fundamental property relationship to technical testing. Collaboration is a cornerstone of the institutes philosophy. Thus, partnerships with industry leaders and academic institutions are actively fostered. These collaborations enhance the research, enrich the institutes academic environment, and amplify the impact on global challenges. From the first contact with the project, it was clear, that this is a very fruitful collaboration fitting to the institute.

The research in ELECTROLIFE deals with the alkaline water electrolysis (AWE) technology. Degradation mechanism are identified for AWE and suitable protocols and diagnostics developed to study the stability of AWE systems. Single cell and short stack studies will be carried out. Direct collaboration is especially with partner STARGATE who prepares AWE electrodes as well as stacks.