Fabrication of high-performance gas-diffusion-electrode based membrane-electrode assemblies
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.
- Research Organization:
- National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Energy Efficiency Office. Advanced Manufacturing Office
- 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, Vol. 450, Issue C; ISSN 0378-7753
- Publisher:
- ElsevierCopyright Statement
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Web of Science
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