An experimental investigation of three-dimensional mechanical characteristics of gas diffusion layers in proton electrolyte membrane fuel cells

Chen, Yanqin; Jiang, Chao; Cho, Chongdu

doi:10.1007/s10008-019-04273-x

Cited by 7 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 38 publications

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“…ties have been theoretically and experimentally confirmed to be elastic and anisotropic [31,32,49]. In summary, the in-plane tensile strain of GDLs was proportional to their tensile stress regardless of the isotropy or anisotropy.…”

Section: Shear Modelmentioning

confidence: 87%

“…Different from the nonlinear compressive behavior of GDLs, it has been proved that the mechanical performance of GDLs in the in-plane directions (X and Y) behaves in a linear and isotropic manner [30]. However, due to the preferential alignments of carbon fibers resulting from the original fabrication process [48], the in-plane mechanical properties have been theoretically and experimentally confirmed to be elastic and anisotropic [31,32,49]. In summary, the in-plane tensile strain of GDLs was proportional to their tensile stress regardless of the isotropy or anisotropy.…”

Section: Tensile Modelmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…where γ is the shear strain, ∆l is the gap, and ∆d is the deformation of a GDL in the vertical direction. It has been experimentally measured that the deformation of a GDL sample (∆d) was proportional to the punch load (F) in characterizing the shear performance of GDLs [31], which is given as:…”

Section: Shear Modelmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In addition to the compressive properties, study of the tensile and shear characteristics of GDLs is needed and important, as well. It is presented that the mechanical performance of GDLs under in-plane tensile and flexural loads is linear and isotropic [30] or anisotropic [31]. The shear behavior of GDLs has been investigated with either isotropic [32] or anisotropic [30] characteristics.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The novel 3-D constitutive model was comprehensively expressed by the material stiffness matrix, where the compressive, tensile, and shear numerical models were included, especially considering the microstructural characteristics, material properties, and assembly configurations in PEMFC stacks. The established 3-D constitutive model was validated against the correspondingly experimental data published elsewhere [31]. Significantly, the 3-D nonlinear and orthotropic constitutive model was embedded into a simplified PEMFC unit for the mechanical stress simulation, compared to the existing elastic and isotropic model of GDLs.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 4 more Smart Citations

Investigation on Mechanical Properties of a Carbon Paper Gas Diffusion Layer through a 3-D Nonlinear and Orthotropic Constitutive Model

Chen

Ke²,

Ying-song³

et al. 2021

Energies

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The mechanical loads that gas diffusion layers (GDLs) withstand in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) stacks are sensitive to the assembly and working conditions. The mechanical properties of GDLs mostly depend on their composition materials, microstructural characteristics, operation conditions, etc. An accurate and comprehensive understanding of the mechanical performance of GDLs is significant for predicting the stress distribution and improving the assembly technology of PEMFC stacks. This study presented a novel 3-D nonlinear and orthotropic constitutive model of a carbon paper GDL to represent the material stiffness matrix with its compressive, tensile, and shear properties. Numerical simulations were performed based on the 3-D constitutive model, and the proposed 3-D model was validated against the experimental data reported previously. It is found that the simulation results of the 3-D constitutive model show a good agreement with the experimental results. Besides, the novel 3-D nonlinear and orthotropic model was applied in the overall stress simulation of a simplified PEMFC unit cell, compared to a conventional 3-D linear and isotropic model, and the simulation results of the two models show a significant difference.

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Section: Shear Modelmentioning

confidence: 87%