Monash University Develops New Membrane To Boost Hydrogen Fuel Cell Efficiency At High Temperatures In EVs [View all]
Nick Ross May 16, 2026
Engineers at Monash University have developed an atomically thin membrane that allows hydrogen fuel cells to operate at high temperatures without relying on water for proton transport, addressing a long-standing limitation in clean energy technology.
The research, published in Science Advances, demonstrates a membrane made from graphene and boron nitride nanosheets combined with nanoconfined phosphoric acid. The design enables proton transport at 250 degrees Celsius and delivered high power output in hydrogen fuel cell testing.
The membrane also performed well when using concentrated methanol as a fuel, maintaining stability and efficiency under harsh, high-temperature conditions.
The researchers argue the same design approach could support a range of electrochemical technologies beyond fuel cells, including water splitting, carbon dioxide reduction and ammonia synthesis.
Kaiqiang He
et al., Proton-shuttling nanosheet membranes enable high-power-density protonic fuel cells.
Sci. Adv.12, eaea1569(2026). DOI:
10.1126/sciadv.aea1569