Efforts to eliminate iridium from PEM electrolyzers have long been hindered by trade-offs between activity and durability. According to Calicat, while many non-iridium catalysts (such as ruthenium) have shown sub-2V initial activity, they often experience unacceptable voltage drift under real-world current densities. The company states that Amplifier stands apart by delivering both high performance and durability. In an ongoing durability experiment, Amplifier has reportedly achieved over 15,000 hours of operation with a voltage drift of just 4 µV/hr, which Calicat describes as an industry-leading result.
“Achieving this level of performance is not just a technological milestone but an industry-defining moment,” said Jourdan Urbach, CEO of Calicat. “Amplifier Gen 3 represents the commercialization of four years of rigorous R&D, leveraging AI-driven material discovery and high-throughput experimentation to eliminate our sector’s looming rare metals threat. By delivering iridium-beating durability alongside high activity, we are empowering our customers to plan their Green Hydrogen ambitions unburdened by price volatility.”
Tokyo Gas, one of the largest city gas providers in the world, aims to achieve 50% carbon neutrality in both local gas supply and power operations by 2040. The company is actively developing core components for water electrolysis systems that reduce the cost of hydrogen production and improve durability, including catalyst-coated membranes. An R&D Engineer at Tokyo Gas commended Calicat’s performance breakthrough as a crucial milestone for commercialization: “We are excited to enter joint development of Amplifier catalyst-coated membranes in 2025 with our longstanding partners at Calicat.” As previously reported, Tokyo Gas joined Calicat’s most recent fundraising round through its corporate venture arm Acario, headquartered in Silicon Valley.
