A strategic partnership for sustainable solutions
Hycco has successfully completed its mission : Delair‘s hydrogen-powered DT 46 VTOL drone, developed in partnership with ISAE Supaero for enhanced aerodynamics, now operate with a Pragma fuel cell stack that is 66% lighter (while maintaining equal performances) thanks to our cutting-edge carbon fiber bipolar plates technology.
Objectives of the collaboration
The primary aim of this collaboration is to combine Datwyler’s extensive material expertise with HYCCO’s advanced bipolar plate (BPP) production capabilities. This partnership is focused on creating a complete solution of sealed and assembled composite bipolar plates.
As noted by Dr. Sarah-Elisabeth Dechent, Material Development Manager at Datwyler, this approach not only enhances the reliability of the components but also ensures that they can be produced at scale to meet future market needs :
” Datwyler partners with HYCCO to co-engineer a sealing solution that is highly effective and also scalable as demand increases. We are now in the process of developing the material options which will progress to processing trials. The results we have achieved so far prove that a co-engineering approach to emerging technologies is the best way of working. “
Datwyler’s Technology & Innovation Labs
A strategic partnership for sustainable solutions
Preliminary results from this collaboration reveal that HYCCO’s carbon fiber materials are compatible with a diverse array of sealing technologies. Datwyler’s Technology & Innovation Labs, in conjunction with specialized laboratories throughout Europe, have conducted extensive testing to identify suitable elastomers for various hydrogen applications. These tests also focused on determining manufacturing processes that are compatible with high-volume production requirements.
Romain Di Costanzo, Chief Executive Officer at HYCCO, added :
“HYCCO is very pleased about the new strategic partnership with Datwyler. Together we want to develop a cost-effective solution for the production of gaskets for proton exchange membrane BPPs. Datwyler has tremendous experience in elastomer formulation and mass production of complex sealing parts. Their investment in best-in-class R&D will help us meet various challenges ahead. We are confident that this strong partnership will enable HYCCO to provide a turnkey solution of sealed and assembled composite bipolar plates for hydrogen fuel cells destined for heavy mobility markets.”
