Diffusion layer parameters influencing optimal fuel cell performance

Jordan, Larry R.; Shukla, A. K.; Behrsing, Thomas; Avery, Neil R.; Muddle, Barry C.; Forsyth, Maria

doi:10.1016/s0378-7753(99)00489-9

Cited by 301 publications

(165 citation statements)

References 4 publications

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“…Although the present results indicate coherently that a larger porosity of the GDL leads to a higher current density, and to some extent a better performance of the fuel cell, a high porosity is accompanied by water flooding in the GDL and this decreases markedly the cell voltage [16]. Besides, as concluded by the present paper, a fuel cell with a higher surface overpotential, η, may require a GDL of greater porosity because more oxygen is necessary to support the active electrochemical reaction.…”

Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 62%

“…In fact, the GDL is composed of a thin layer of carbon black mixed with polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), a carbon paper consisting of rigid carbon fibbers with a diameter of about 10 m, and a porous structure formed by carbon fibbers with a pore size of 20-50 m and 70-80% porosity of volume. Any change in the composition or the morphology of the GDL can lead to a substantial influence on fuel cell performance owing to a porosity change [16][17][18][19]. In practice, the presence of water generated in the GDL during fuel cell operation can also change the effective porosity, and this change may vary with time and position.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Effects of porosity change of gas diffuser on performance of proton exchange membrane fuel cell

Chu

Yeh

Chen

2003

Journal of Power Sources

163

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An investigation is made of the effects of the change of the porosity of the gas diffuser layer (GDL) on the performance of a proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell. The analysis of fuel cell performance with non-uniform porosity of GDL is a necessity because the presence of liquid water in the GDL leads to a non-uniformly distributed porosity in the GDL. To implement this performance analysis, a half-cell model which considers the oxygen mass fraction distribution in the gas channel, the GDL and the catalyst layer, and the current density and the membrane phase potential in the catalyst layer and the membrane is investigated. Four continuous functions of position are employed to describe the porosity, and differential equations are derived based on oxygen transportation and Ohm's law for proton migration and solved numerically. Results show that a fuel cell embedded with a GDL with a larger averaged porosity will consume a greater amount of oxygen, so that a higher current density is generated and a better fuel cell performance is obtained. This explains partly why fuel cell performance deteriorates significantly as the cathode is flooded with water (i.e. to give a lower effective porosity in the GDL). In terms of the system performance, a change in GDL porosity has virtually no influence on the level of polarization when the current density is medium or lower, but exerts a significant influence when the current density is high. This finding supports the scenario proposed by previous studies that the polarization at high current density corresponds mainly to mass transfer through (or the concentration activation of) the membrane assembly.

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Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 62%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of porosity change of gas diffuser on performance of proton exchange membrane fuel cell

Chu

Yeh

Chen

2003

Journal of Power Sources

163

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“…MPL thickness is a crucial parameter to be controlled in order to improve overall device performance and several studies pointed out an optimal value in the range 50-90 µm [30,[34][35][36][37][38]. For this reason, prepared samples were evaluated in terms of MPL thickness by means of SEM analysis, as reported in Figure 3.…”

Section: Physical Characterizationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Development and Characterization of Non-Conventional Micro-Porous Layers for PEM Fuel Cells

et al. 2015

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Gas diffusion medium (GDM) is a crucial component in proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). Being composed of a gas diffusion layer (GDL) with a micro-porous layer (MPL) coated onto it, it ensures a proper water management due to the highly hydrophobic materials employed in cell assembly. In current commercial applications, the desired water repellent behaviour is usually obtained by using polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). In this work, Fluorolink ® P56 (Solvay Specialty Polymers, Milan, Italy), a commercially available, anionic, segmented high molecular weight polyfluorourethane with perfluoropolyether groups was extensively evaluated as an alternative to PTFE for micro-porous layer hydrophobization. A change in polymer used is desirable in order to simplify the production process, both in terms of ink formulation and thermal treatment, as well as to get a higher hydrophobicity and, consequently, more efficient water management. Innovative prepared samples were compared to a PTFE-based GDM, in order to assess differences both from morphological and from an electrochemical point of view.

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“…Yuan et al [1] reported EIS has already become a primary tool in PEMFC research. EIS method is also used effectively for analyses of the amount of catalysts [2][3][4][5], nafion content [3,[6][7][8], membrane thickness [9,10], GDL structure [11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19], proton conductivity [20][21][22][23][24][25][26], humidification condition [3,9,[27][28][29][30] and stack [24,[31][32][33][34][35][36]. For example, Paganin et al [2] and Song et al [3] suggested that charge transfer resistance is much smaller with increasing amount of catalysts.…”

Section: Page 3 Of 34mentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluation of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy under different operation conditions and corrosion

Kumagai¹,

Ichikawa

Yashiro

2010

Journal of Power Sources

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Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) was employed for in situ diagnosis for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells during operation. First, EIS was measured as a function of operation parameters such as applied current density, gas flow rates and gas humidification temperature. The resistance that correlated with conductivity of the membrane and the contact resistance between bipolar plate and gas A c c e p t e d M a n u s c r i p t 2 diffusion layer (GDL) was set as R m in the assumed equivalent circuit. The charge transfer resistances were considered for cathode (R ct (C)). The value of R ct (C) was sensitive to the parameters that affected cell voltage. Additionally, the diffusion resistance (R d ) was ascribed to the effect of oxygen supply and drainage of generated water. Second, the influence of corrosion of type 430 stainless steel bipolar plates was evaluated by EIS method during operation. Corrosion of the stainless steel bipolar plates resulted in an increase in the value of R d .

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Diffusion layer parameters influencing optimal fuel cell performance

Cited by 301 publications

References 4 publications

Effects of porosity change of gas diffuser on performance of proton exchange membrane fuel cell

Effects of porosity change of gas diffuser on performance of proton exchange membrane fuel cell

Development and Characterization of Non-Conventional Micro-Porous Layers for PEM Fuel Cells

Evaluation of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy under different operation conditions and corrosion

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