Fabrication of high-performance gas-diffusion-electrode based membrane-electrode assemblies

Mauger, Scott A.; Pfeilsticker, Jason; Wang, Min; Medina, Samantha; Neyerlin, Chingching; Neyerlin, Kenneth C.; Stetson, Caleb; Pylypenko, Svitlana; Ulsh, Michael J.

doi:10.1016/j.jpowsour.2019.227581

Fabrication of high-performance gas-diffusion-electrode based membrane-electrode assemblies

Journal Article · Wed Jan 29 00:00:00 EST 2020 · Journal of Power Sources

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2019.227581· OSTI ID:1603262

^[1]; ^[1]; Wang, Min ^[1]; Medina, Samantha ^[2]; Neyerlin, Chingching ^[1]; ^[1]; Stetson, Caleb ^[2]; Pylypenko, Svitlana ^[3]; ^[1]

National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO (United States)
National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO (United States)

This paper demonstrates the fabrication and processing steps required to produce high performance fuel cell membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) based on spray-coated gas-diffusion electrodes (GDEs). It is demonstrated that coating the catalyst layer with a thin layer of ionomer and then hot pressing the GDEs to the membrane is required to achieve comparable catalyst activity and air performance to catalyst-coated-membrane MEAs. We show that there is a critical amount of ionomer required to achieve maximized performance. Using electron microscopy, we show that the combination of the ionomer overlayer and hot-pressing bonds the catalyst layer to the membrane, increasing the interfacial contact area and quality of this interface. We also find that the ionomer overlayer smooths the surface of the GDE and provides increased contact area between the GDE and the membrane. Additionally, we demonstrate that much less ionomer is required for high-performance than has been previously reported. Through model fitting of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, we show that this improvement in the catalyst layer - membrane interface reduces the effective catalyst layer resistance, which reduces Ohmic losses and increases catalyst utilization.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE; USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Advanced Manufacturing Office (EE-5A)

Grant/Contract Number:: AC36-08GO28308

OSTI ID:: 1603262

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1693531

Report Number(s):: NREL/JA--5900-74514

Journal Information:: Journal of Power Sources, Journal Name: Journal of Power Sources Journal Issue: C Vol. 450; ISSN 0378-7753

Publisher:: ElsevierCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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