Improved PEM fuel cell performance with hydrophobic catalyst layers

Date

2018-10-04

Author

Avcioglu, Gokce S.
FIÇICILAR, BERKER
Eroğlu, İnci

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Flooding of catalyst layers is one of the major issues, which effects performance of low temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC). Rendering catalyst layers hydrophobic one may improve the performance of PEMFC depending on Pt percentage in the catalyst and Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) loading on the electrode. In this study, effect of hydrophobicity in catalyst layers on performance has been investigated by comparing performances of membrane electrode assemblies prepared with 48% Pt/C. Ultrasonic coating technique was used to manufacture highly efficient electrodes. Power density at 0.45 V increased by the addition of PTFE, from 0.95 to 1.01 W/cm(2) with H-2/O-2 feed; while it slightly increased from 0.52 W/cm(2) to 0.53 W/cm(2) with H-2/Air feed. Addition of PTFE to catalyst layers while keeping Pt loading constant, enhanced performance providing improved water management. Kinetic activity increased by decreasing Nafion loading from 0.37 mg/cm(2) to 0.25 mg/cm(2) while introducing PTFE (0.12 mg/cm(2)) to the electrode. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) results proved that charge transfer resistance decreased with hydrophobic catalyst layers for H-2/O-2 feed. This is attributed to enhanced water management due to PTFE presence. (C) 2018 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Subject Keywords

Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell, Electrocatalyst, Catalyst Layer, Hydrophobicity, Water Management

URI

https://hdl.handle.net/11511/56466

Journal

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HYDROGEN ENERGY

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2018.03.045

Collections

Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences, Article

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Citation Formats

G. S. Avcioglu, B. FIÇICILAR, and İ. Eroğlu, “Improved PEM fuel cell performance with hydrophobic catalyst layers,” INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HYDROGEN ENERGY, pp. 18632–18641, 2018, Accessed: 00, 2020. [Online]. Available: https://hdl.handle.net/11511/56466.