MIT Spinout 1s1 Energy Develops Boron-Based Membrane That Cuts Green Hydrogen Electrolyzer Energy Use by 30 Percent
The startup's chemically tailored boron polymer membranes already achieve the U.S. Department of Energy's 2031 efficiency target of 77 percent for proton exchange membrane electrolysis, while partner tests show a 60 percent reduction in operating costs.
Overview
1s1 Energy, a startup spun out of research by MIT-trained engineers, has developed a new class of proton exchange membranes built on boron-based chemistry that reduce the energy required to produce green hydrogen by approximately 30 percent. In partner testing, electrolyzers fitted with the company’s membranes needed only 70 percent of the energy consumed by incumbent devices to produce each kilogram of hydrogen, according to MIT News.
The achievement is significant because the membranes already meet the U.S. Department of Energy’s ultimate 2031 target of 77 percent electrical efficiency for proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolysis, a benchmark the agency set in 2021 as part of its broader push to bring clean hydrogen costs down to $1 per kilogram, according to the DOE’s published technical targets.
How the Technology Works
Conventional PEM electrolyzers use fluorinated polymer membranes, most commonly Nafion, to separate hydrogen and oxygen during water splitting. These membranes rely on sulfonic acid groups to shuttle protons across the cell but degrade over time and require energy-intensive manufacturing.
1s1 Energy’s approach replaces those proton exchange groups with chemically tailored boron compounds attached to polymer backbones. Boron’s inherent negative charge allows hydrogen ions to bond more quickly, improving proton conductivity across the membrane. The boron-based materials are also more chemically stable and resistant to corrosion, which extends the operational lifetime of the electrolyzer stack.
Co-founder Dan Sobek, who earned three MIT degrees spanning aeronautics, mechanical engineering, and electrical engineering, described the membranes as “first-of-a-kind membranes with stable and durable, super-acid proton exchange groups that do not poison catalysts,” according to MIT News. Catalyst poisoning is a persistent problem in conventional PEM systems, where membrane degradation products can foul platinum-group metal catalysts and reduce cell performance over time.
Efficiency Gains in Context
The DOE’s technical roadmap for PEM electrolysis lays out a progression of efficiency targets. The 2022 baseline stood at 51 kilowatt-hours per kilogram of hydrogen at the stack level, corresponding to 65 percent efficiency based on the lower heating value of hydrogen. The agency’s intermediate 2026 target calls for 48 kWh/kg (69 percent), while the ultimate 2031 goal requires 43 kWh/kg (77 percent), according to the DOE.
1s1 Energy’s claim that its membranes already reach 77 percent efficiency would place the technology five years ahead of the federal timeline. Partner companies using the membranes have reported approximately 60 percent reductions in operating costs, a figure that reflects not only the lower energy consumption but also the improved durability and reduced maintenance associated with the boron-based chemistry.
Broader Market Implications
The green hydrogen sector has struggled with high production costs that have kept it from competing with hydrogen derived from natural gas. Electrolyzer efficiency is one of the largest cost drivers, since electricity accounts for the majority of operating expenses in PEM systems. A 30 percent reduction in energy consumption per kilogram of hydrogen, if sustained at commercial scale, would materially improve the economics of green hydrogen production.
The timing is notable as green hydrogen projects continue to advance across the United States. In New Mexico, the Kit Carson Electric Cooperative is moving forward with a $231 million project at a former Superfund site near Questa that will pair a 50-megawatt solar array with green hydrogen production and up to 16 hours of energy storage, according to CleanTechnica. That project, funded through the USDA’s Empowering Rural America program, illustrates the growing pipeline of domestic green hydrogen infrastructure that could benefit from more efficient electrolyzer technology.
What Comes Next
1s1 Energy is currently working with a large materials company to scale up membrane production for commercial hydrogen applications. The company, co-founded by Sobek and Sukanta Bhattacharyya in late 2019, is also beginning trials in adjacent markets including fuel cells, solid-state batteries, and critical metal extraction from mining waste.
Whether the laboratory and partner-test results translate to consistent performance across diverse industrial deployments remains to be demonstrated. Membrane technologies have historically faced challenges in scaling from controlled testing environments to the high-throughput, high-temperature conditions of commercial electrolysis plants. The gap between achieving an efficiency target in partner trials and sustaining it across thousands of operating hours at gigawatt scale is one the company will need to close as it moves toward broader commercialization.