Recycling Breakthrough Turns “Forever Chemicals” Into Renewable Resources

Scientists at the University of Leicester have developed a technique that uses soundwaves to separate materials in fuel cells within seconds.

A new technique that uses sound waves to separate materials for recycling could help prevent harmful chemicals from leaching into the environment.

Researchers at the University of Leicester have reached a major breakthrough in fuel cell recycling by developing a method to efficiently separate valuable catalyst materials and fluorinated polymer membranes (PFAS) from catalyst-coated membranes (CCMs).

This advancement tackles significant environmental concerns related to PFAS, often called “forever chemicals,” which are known to pollute drinking water and pose serious health risks. The Royal Society of Chemistry has called for government action to lower PFAS levels in UK water supplies.

Breaking down complex catalyst-coated membranes

Fuel cells and water electrolyzers, essential components of hydrogen-powered energy systems, powering cars, trains and buses, depend on CCMs containing precious platinum group metals. However, the strong adhesion between catalyst layers and PFAS membranes has made recycling difficult.

Researchers at Leicester have developed a scalable method using organic solvent soaking and water ultrasonication to effectively separate these materials, revolutionizing the recycling process.

Dr Jake Yang from the University of Leicester School of Chemistry said: “This method is simple and scalable. We can now separate PFAS membranes from precious metals without harsh chemicals—revolutionizing how we recycle fuel cells. Fuel cells have been heralded for a long time as the breakthrough technology for clean energy but the high cost of platinum group metals has been seen as a limitation. A circular economy in these metals will bring this breakthough technology one step closer to reality.”

Ultrasound blade cuts recycling time to seconds

Building on this success, a follow-up study introduced a continuous delamination process, using a bespoke blade sonotrode that uses high-frequency ultrasound to split the membranes to accelerate recycling.

High-power ultrasound rapidly separates valuable catalyst from underlying polymer membranes in under a minute. Credit: University of Leicester

The process creates bubbles that collapse when subjected to high pressure, meaning the precious catalysts can be separated in seconds at room temperature. The innovative process is both sustainable and economically viable, paving the way for widespread adoption.

This groundbreaking research was carried out in collaboration with Johnson Matthey, a global leader in sustainable technologies. Industry-academia partnerships such as this underscore the importance of collective efforts in driving technological progress.

Ross Gordon, Principal Research Scientist at Johnson Matthey, said: “The development of high-intensity ultrasound to separate catalyst-loaded membranes is a game-changer in how we approach fuel cell recycling.  At Johnson Matthey, we are proud to collaborate on pioneering solutions that accelerate the adoption of hydrogen-powered energy while making it more sustainable and economically viable.”

As fuel cell demand continues to grow, this breakthrough contributes to the circular economy by enabling efficient recycling of essential clean energy components. The researchers’ efforts support a greener and more affordable future for fuel cell technology while addressing pressing environmental challenges.

Reference: “Catalyst coated membranes for fuel cell and water electrolyser delamination induced by organic solution soaking and water ultrasonication” by Tanongsak Yingnakorn, Jennifer Hartley, Molly E. Keal, Ross Gordon, Daniel Marin Florido, Andrew P. Abbott and Jake M. Yang, 10 March 2025, RSC Sustainability.
DOI: 10.1039/D4SU00795F

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