Gore Ionomer Credited With Enabling MEA Performance Milestones

ELKTON, Md., June 30 -- Gore Fuel Cell Technologies disclosed today its capabilities to design and manufacture low cost, high-performance ionomers for fuel cell applications.

Gore ionomers, which have been used in a variety of commercial GORE(TM) MEAs since mid-2002, have enabled several new MEA performance and durability milestones, including long-life operation at higher temperatures and under lower humidification.

The new ionomers have been field-tested and proven over the past year in automotive and stationary applications under myriad operating conditions. The ionomers have also contributed to accelerating the development of a new MEA for portable power, slated for commercial launch later this year.

"This is one of the most significant ionomer advancements in over a decade, with a demonstrated real-world impact on performance," said John Mongan, Business Leader for Gore Fuel Cell Technologies. "It opens up a whole new realm of possibilities in MEA development, and will contribute directly toward lowering the cost of both materials and manufacturing."

Gore has no current plans to become a bulk ionomer supplier. "Gore is focused on bringing to market the finest MEA available," Mongan said. "Our decade-long research program in MEAs led us to fundamental understandings of critical PEM operating conditions and failure modes which, in turn, helped us to identify the combination of ionomer properties needed to optimize MEA performance. Since no material on the market met our need, we called on Gore's significant expertise in fluoropolymer design, synthesis, and manufacturing to develop these ionomers."

Breakthroughs in fluoropolymer technology are nothing new to Gore. The new ionomers join a vast corporate fluoropolymer patent estate. The company as a whole is one of the world's leading developers and manufacturers of composite fluoropolymer membranes. Gore's team of scientists, responsible for developing this new capability, includes more than 70 years of cumulative experience in ionomer and underlying fluoropolymer development.

A Gore affiliate in China houses manufacturing for the ionomers. This takes advantage of the company's proven capability in producing a wide variety of unique, high-quality fluoropolymers. It also leverages cost efficiencies and the raw materials supply that are readily available in China.

"In addition to the obvious cost and supply advantages, manufacturing in China also strengthens our position in the increasingly important Chinese fuel cell market," Mongan said.

Gore continues to use ionomers from the many other highly capable suppliers in specific Gore MEAs, Mongan said. "Again, our goal is to produce the finest MEA available. To this end, our MEA team will continue to evaluate a wide range of materials and will use the best available, regardless of the supplier."

ABOUT GORE

W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc., develops next-generation technology solutions with applications in energy, chemical processing, pollution control, medical and electronics. Known for consumer brands like GORE-TEX(R) fabric, the company is headquartered in Newark, DE, with 45 offices worldwide and annual sales exceeding $1 billion. For more information, visit: www.gore.com/fuelcells.