SBIR Phase II: Novel electrolyzer architectures to enable low-cost chemical manufacturing at industrial scales

The broader/commercial impact of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is to enable domestic manufacturing of critical minerals and industrial chemicals through circular electrochemical processing. This project advances a scalable electrolyzer system that converts sodium sulfate by-products—an increasingly abundant byproduct of battery manufacturing, mining, textiles, and pulp and paper—into valuable sulfuric acid and sodium hydroxide for reuse on-site. By transforming by-products into essential reagents, the technology reduces disposal burdens, lowers operating costs, and strengthens supply chain resilience for U.S. manufacturers. As battery and critical mineral production expands to support electrification and energy storage, sodium sulfate by-products volumes are projected to grow substantially, creating both economic and environmental challenges. This innovation provides a cost-effective solution that supports energy dominance, domestic chemical production, and reduced reliance on imported electrolysis technologies. Beyond commercialization, the project advances understanding of gas diffusion electrode (GDE) systems for salt-splitting electrolysis and hydrogen recycling at industrial scale. The work contributes to broader scientific knowledge in electrochemical engineering, materials science, and scalable reactor design fields that are foundational to next-generation energy and chemical manufacturing technologies. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project addresses the challenge of economically converting sodium sulfate by-products into reusable acids and bases at industrial scale. While hydrogen depolarized electrolysis for salt splitting is known, it has not been successfully implemented in a commercially scalable architecture capable of high current density, durability, and efficient hydrogen recycling. The research objective is to develop and validate a commercial-height (1-meter) electrolyzer cell incorporating a novel gas diffusion electrode (GDE) and a scalable clamshell-style stack architecture. The project will design, fabricate, and test a three-cell demonstration stack while integrating an optimized hydrogen recycle system to improve efficiency and durability. The proposed work includes advanced materials screening for corrosion resistance, design-for-manufacturability, stack engineering, hydrogen feed optimization, and long-duration performance testing. Successful completion will establish a technically validated, scalable electrochemical platform for industrial salt by-product remediation and reagent regeneration. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.