Engineers at Monash University have developed an ultra-thin membrane designed to improve the efficiency of fuel cells operating at high temperatures, in a breakthrough the researchers say could support wider use of clean energy technologies in transport and industry.
The research, published in the journal Science Advances, focuses on overcoming a longstanding limitation in fuel cells, which typically rely on water-dependent membranes that become less effective at elevated temperatures.
Fuel cells generate electricity by converting chemical energy, with water and heat produced as the main by-products. The technology is already used in hydrogen-powered vehicles, backup power systems and some space applications because of its lightweight and reliable energy generation capabilities.
According to the researchers, current fuel cell systems face challenges at higher temperatures, where improved efficiency and simpler system designs could otherwise be achieved.
The team developed a membrane using atomically thin nanosheets combined with nanoconfined phosphoric acid. The membrane, made from graphene and boron nitride, was reported to enable rapid proton transport at temperatures of up to 250°C without relying on water.
Corresponding author Professor Huanting Wang from Monash University’s Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering said the research addressed a significant challenge in membrane design for high-temperature electrochemical systems.
“By integrating proton-conducting nanosheets with nanoconfined phosphoric acid, we have created a membrane that maintains fast proton transport without relying on water. This enables fuel cells to operate efficiently at much higher temperatures than is currently possible,” Professor Wang said.
The researchers said the membrane also demonstrated strong performance when using concentrated methanol as a fuel, maintaining stability and efficiency under high-temperature conditions.
First author Dr Kaiqiang He, a postdoctoral research fellow in the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, said the development combined several proton transport mechanisms within a single membrane structure.
“The nanosheets provide direct proton transport pathways, while the confined phosphoric acid enables rapid proton hopping. Together, these mechanisms deliver both high conductivity and stability under dry, high-temperature conditions,” Dr He said.
Beyond fuel cells, the researchers said the membrane design could potentially be applied to other electrochemical technologies, including water splitting, carbon dioxide reduction and ammonia synthesis.
The study, titled “High-temperature proton conduction enabled by nanoconfined phosphoric acid in two-dimensional nanochannels”, was published in Science Advances.
