Dr. Chulsung Bae, CEOOrion Polymer is a membrane material company specializing in clean and emerging energy technologies such as green hydrogen. At its core, the company develops non-PFAS ion exchange membranes built on a single scalable material platform designed for multiple clean energy applications.
Two primary ion exchange membranes are used with today’s green hydrogen systems, proton exchange membranes (PEM) and anion exchange membranes (AEM). PEM currently dominates the market, but these materials are based on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) that face increasing environmental and regulatory scrutiny and rely on precious metals to operate. Orion Polymer’s AEM platform provides an alternative that avoids PFAS while enabling cost advantages through alkaline system design.
Dr. Greg Kline, CTO and Cathryn Olsen, COOUnlocking Scalable Innovation through Practical Material Advances
How does Orion’s AEM platform reduce material and system costs?
System developers often face distinct technical constraints across hydrogen production pathways. Liquid alkaline electrolyzers, a technology in use for over a century, rely on porous diaphragms that can create hydrogen back diffusion and safety challenges. PEM electrolyzers allow hydrogen compression but depend on expensive materials such as iridium and platinum, along with titanium-based hardware.
Orion Polymer’s AEM technology combines the advantages of both approaches. Operating in an alkaline environment eliminates the need for iridium and platinum while enabling the replacement of titanium hardware with lower-cost stainless steel. This delivers meaningful cost savings without sacrificing system performance.
A major industry challenge remains accessibility to durable AEM materials. Current production volumes are limited, and AEM costs remain higher than commercial PEM materials. Beyond cost, supply constraints continue to limit broader adoption of AEM-based systems. Orion is addressing this by scaling manufacturing capability with the goal of significantly reducing costs over the next two to three years, making durable AEM broadly accessible for green hydrogen applications.
Execution Backed by Technical Validation
What industry validation supports Orion Polymer’s membrane performance in real-world system-level applications?
Industry participants have already evaluated Orion Polymer’s membranes through system-level testing. The company has collaborated with numerous global electrolyzer manufacturers and fuel cell automotive companies to integrate and validate its products. These evaluations confirmed that Orion’s membranes perform as intended under real-world operating conditions.
In 2024, a global electrolyzer company selected Orion Polymer as its AEM supplier due to Orion CMX’s durability as part of a U.S. Department of Energy funding application. This selection followed a competitive technical review process, reinforcing the credibility of Orion’s material platform.
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We are a one-stop shop for all ion exchange membrane technology.
Orion Polymer operates with a team aligned around advancing membrane solutions for emerging clean energy technologies. Dr. Chulsung Bae leads corporate strategy, Cathryn Olsen manages daily operations and manufacturing scale-up as COO, and Dr. Greg Kline oversees technology development and patent applications as CTO.
All membrane products are built on the same core material platform, allowing Orion to maintain manufacturing consistency while expanding across multiple chemistries. This unified approach reduces complexity for system developers and supports scalable production across applications.
How is Orion expanding its platform across clean energy markets?
Building on this platform, Orion is expanding beyond AEM into ion-solvating membranes (ISM) for liquid alkaline electrolyzers and hydrocarbon-based PEM materials for PEM electrolyzers. These membranes extend beyond green hydrogen into adjacent clean energy technologies, including carbon capture and flow batteries, positioning Orion to serve the full spectrum of ion exchange membrane needs across emerging energy systems.
At its foundation, Orion’s platform responds directly to growing scrutiny surrounding PFAS-based materials. By developing alternative ion exchange membranes that avoid these chemistries while maintaining durability and scalability, the company aligns material innovation with long-term clean energy deployment needs.
Recognition as the Top Clean Energy Ion Exchange Membranes Solution of 2026 reflects Orion Polymer’s commitment to developing scalable, non-PFAS membrane technologies that address cost, durability and manufacturing constraints across emerging clean energy markets.
