Ultra‐low Mass Sputtered and Conventional Catalyst Layers on Plasma‐etched Nafion for PEMFC Applications

Omosebi, A.; Besser, R. S.

doi:10.1002/fuce.201600183

Title: Ultra‐low Mass Sputtered and Conventional Catalyst Layers on Plasma‐etched Nafion for PEMFC Applications

Journal Article · 24 October 2017 · Fuel Cells

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/fuce.201600183 · OSTI ID:1404753

Omosebi, A. ^[1]; Besser, R. S. ^[2]

University of Kentucky Center for Applied Energy Research 40511 Lexington, KY USA
Stevens Institute of Technology Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science Castle Point on Hudson 07030 Hoboken, NJ USA

Abstract This paper presents performance results for the use of plasma‐etched Nafion membranes to suppress polarization losses in proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) configured from 0.1 mg cm ⁻² conventional Pt/C dispersion and 0.02 mg cm ⁻² ultra‐thin sputter‐deposited Pt catalyst layers. Four MEA configurations, namely, etched membrane‐conventional electrode, pristine membrane‐conventional electrode, etched membrane‐sputter electrode, and pristine membrane‐sputter electrode cells were explored, and their respective maximum power densities were ∼514.6, 417.9, 170.1 and 138.3 mW cm ⁻² . The results demonstrated that independent of MEA fabrication approach, cells with O ₂ plasma treated membranes had reduced ohmic resistances and delivered superior performance over their pristine counterparts, validating the utility of membrane etching for achieving improved PEMFC performance.

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Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE

Grant/Contract Number:: SC0012704

OSTI ID:: 1404753

Journal Information:: Fuel Cells, Journal Name: Fuel Cells Journal Issue: 6 Vol. 17; ISSN 1615-6846

Publisher:: Wiley Blackwell (John Wiley & Sons)Copyright Statement

Country of Publication:: Germany

Language:: English

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