Durability Improvements Through Degradation Mechanism Studies

Performance improvement of the open-cathode proton exchange membrane fuel cell by optimizing membrane electrode assemblies

“…Nam suggested that the MPL between CL and GDL reduces both the droplet size and liquid saturation [41]. The MEA without MPL was susceptible to flooding [42], and showed a dramatic non-uniform cathode thinning in the X-ray tomography [43]. However, Park [36] obtained the best cell performance with a carbon loading of 0.5 mg cm À2 in MPL, quite different from our results.…”

Degradation Study by Start-Up/Shut-Down Cycling of Superhydrophobic Electrosprayed Catalyst Layers Using a Localized Reference Electrode Technique

“…Polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) technology is a promising solution to power portable devices and as a zero-emission power source for automotive applications, but its widespread commercialization is still hindered by durability limitations. Lifetime targets of 40 000 h for stationary applications and 5 000 h for transport, which were established in the last Hydrogen and Fuel Cells Program Plan released by the U.S. Department of Energy, are still to be overcome in a commercial system . The performance decay of a fuel cell stack over time is primarily due to material degradation in the individual cell components, including the membrane, catalyst layer (CL), microporous layer (MPL), gas diffusion layer (GDL), bipolar plate (BP), and seals. − Determining the factors dominating the degradation rate in these systems is critical for enhancing their durability.…”

Nanostructured Electrocatalysts for PEM Fuel Cells and Redox Flow Batteries: A Selected Review

“…Intensive effort has been devoted to develop durable electrocatalysts, such as using Pt alloys ,,,, and durable support. − Catalyst support not only plays a key role in stabilizing Pt nanoparticles but is also very critical for mass transfer management in fuel cells . The corrosion of carbon has been linked with Pt nanoparticle agglomeration and detachment from support, which decrease catalytic performance; , it has also been related to mass transfer loss and the increase in both electric resistance and ionic resistance in catalyst layers, which particularly affect the high power performance of fuel cells. − Stable ceramic support materials are one option to avoid the corrosion issue, − ,, but they usually suffer inconsistence between half-cell test results (based on rotating disk electrode (RDE) test) and real fuel cell device performance, probably due to the conductivity issue and interface incompatibility issue between ceramic materials and ionomer. Graphitized carbon has been shown to be more resistant to corrosion, thus improving the durability of Pt catalysts. − Graphitic-carbon-supported electrocatalysts are also easier to be deployed in real fuel cell devices since most of existing knowledge of PEM fuel cells is based on carbon-type catalysts.…”