University of Ljubljana Faculty of Mechanical Engineering researcher Filip Todorovski has received the 2026 Oronzio and Niccolò De Nora Foundation Young Author Prize, awarded by the International Society of Electrochemistry (ISE). He received the award for a scientific paper examining the effects of contact pressure on the performance and durability of high-temperature fuel cells, published in Electrochimica Acta.
The prize is awarded annually to young authors under the age of 30 for outstanding papers published in Electrochimica Acta during the preceding year. Todorovski received the award for the paper »Electrochemical assessment of contact pressure effects on durability of high-temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cells under dynamic operation« published in 2025 as part of his research at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering.
Together with his colleagues, Todorovski focused on high-temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cells (HT-PEMFCs), one of the more promising technologies for converting hydrogen into electrical energy. The researchers investigated how contact pressure between the individual layers of a fuel cell affects its performance and durability under conditions representative of real-world operation, particularly repeated system start-up and shutdown cycles.
“Receiving this award is an important recognition of the quality of the research conducted within our group. It is particularly meaningful to see our work recognised internationally and by such a highly respected organisation in the field of electrochemistry. As a relatively young research group within the Laboratory for Heat and Power, this recognition confirms that we are on the right track and that our research is both high-quality and relevant to the wider scientific community,” says Todorovski. “I did not expect the award, so the news genuinely came as a surprise and made me very happy. For a doctoral researcher, such recognition is extremely valuable, as it provides renewed confidence and motivation for further research.”
His interest in energy engineering and energy conversion began during his mechanical engineering studies, while his research at the Faculty brought him into closer contact with fuel-cell technology. He was particularly drawn to the way the field brings together a range of disciplines, from thermodynamics and heat transfer to materials science and electrochemistry.
“What I find particularly fascinating is that even a small change in material, temperature, gas composition or assembly conditions can have a major impact on the performance of the entire system. Fuel cells have significant potential in the transition towards low-carbon energy systems, but their reliability and service life still need to be improved before they can be deployed more widely. Understanding these mechanisms has therefore become a central focus of my research,” he explains.
Key finding: balance matters more than maximum performance
The results show that higher contact pressure can improve the initial performance of a fuel cell, but does not necessarily ensure greater long-term stability. At the highest pressure tested, 0.85 MPa, the cell initially achieved the best performance, but after 70 start-up and shutdown cycles it had lost more than 21% of its voltage. At the lowest pressure, 0.30 MPa, degradation was less pronounced, although the cell’s initial performance was somewhat lower. An intermediate pressure of 0.55 MPa proved to be the optimal solution, providing the best balance between initial performance, uniform current distribution and long-term stability.
The study demonstrated that mechanical compression is not merely a design parameter involved in fuel-cell stack assembly, but also has a significant impact on electrochemical processes and degradation during operation. Even the pressure applied when the fuel cell is first activated can have a lasting effect on its subsequent performance.
These findings are relevant to the development of more reliable and durable fuel cells, providing manufacturers and researchers with new insight into how system design and assembly affect service life. The technology is particularly promising for transport, stationary energy systems and other applications requiring efficient, low-emission energy conversion.
An unexpected challenge led to a key breakthrough
The research team arrived at its key finding as a result of an unforeseen challenge encountered during the experimental work.
“The greatest challenge was determining why my initial results were so poor. During accelerated ageing tests, fuel-cell performance was affected by many different parameters simultaneously, so contact pressure was not initially among the main suspects. Only after an extensive search for the cause, thorough checks of the experimental setup and detailed analysis of the results did we establish that contact pressure played an important role. What I find most interesting about this story is that the research began with results that initially appeared simply unsuccessful, but ultimately led us to an important research question, which we were then able to answer through our experiments,” Todorovski explains.
The award represents significant international recognition both for the young researcher and for the research conducted at the University of Ljubljana Faculty of Mechanical Engineering. It also reflects the Faculty’s successful integration into the international research community in the field of sustainable energy technologies.
Further information about the prize and the 2026 award recipients is available on the website of the International Society of Electrochemistry.