Study on corrosion migrations within catalyst-coated membranes of proton exchange membrane electrolyzer cells

Journal Article · 09 October 2017 · International Journal of Hydrogen Energy

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2017.09.020 · OSTI ID:1399350

Mo, Jingke ^[1]; Steen, Stuart ^[1]; Kang, Zhenye ^[1]; Yang, Gaoqiang ^[1]; Taylor, Derrick A. ^[1]; Li, Yifan ^[1]; Toops, Todd J. ^[2]; Brady, Michael P. ^[2]; Retterer, Scott T. ^[2]; Cullen, David A. ^[2]; Green, Johney B.  ^[3]; Zhang, Feng-Yuan  ^[1]

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1. Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (United States). Nanodynamics and High-Efficiency Lab. for Propulsion and Power
2. Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
3. National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

The corrosion of low-cost, easily manufactured metallic components inside the electrochemical environment of proton exchange membrane electrolyzer cells (PEMECs) has a significant effect on their performance and durability. In this study, 316 stainless steel (SS) mesh was used as a model liquid/gas diffusion layer material to investigate the migration of corrosion products in the catalyst-coated membrane of a PEMEC. Iron and nickel cation particles were found distributed throughout the anode catalyst layer, proton exchange membrane, and cathode catalyst layer, as revealed by scanning transmission electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The results indicate the corrosion products of 316 SS are transported from anode to cathode through the nanochannels of the Nafion membrane, resulting in impeded proton transport and overall PEMEC performance loss.

• Research Organization: National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE); USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES); USDOE
• Grant/Contract Number: AC36-08GO28308; FE0011585; AC05-00OR22725
• OSTI ID: 1399350
• Alternate ID(s): OSTI ID: 1410922; OSTI ID: 1549345
• Report Number(s): NREL/JA-4A00-70283
• Journal Information: International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, Vol. 42, Issue 44; ISSN 0360-3199
• Publisher: ElsevierCopyright Statement
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

08 HYDROGEN
37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
corrosion
proton exchange membrane
stainless steel
migration
nafion