The importance of carbon materials in micro-porous layer in gas diffusion layers for proton exchange membrane fuel cells

Abstract

This paper summarizes recent work at the SGL group on the versatility of different carbon materials (carbon blacks, graphite, carbon nanotubes) used as functional components in the micro-porous layer (MPL) of gas diffusion layers (GDL) for proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). The properties of MPL carbon materials are shown to have significant effects on the water management of PEMFCs. Multiwall carbon nanotubes significantly improve the GDL conductivity and their combination with graphite or carbon blacks allows for a GDL optimization for either dry (graphite-containing MPL) or wet (acetylene black-based MPL) operating conditions.