Title: Beyond catalysis and membranes: visualizing and solving the challenge of electrode water accumulation and flooding in AEMFCs

Abstract

A majority of anion exchange membrane fuel cells (AEMFCs) reported in the literature have been unable to achieve high current or power. A recently proposed theory is that the achievable current is largely limited by poorly balanced water during cell operation. In this article, we present convincing experimental results – coupling operando electrochemical measurements and neutron imaging – supporting this theory and allowing the amount and distribution of water, and its impact on AEMFC performance, to be quantified for the first time. We also create new electrode compositions by systematically manipulating the ionomer and carbon content in the anode catalyst layer, which allowed us to alleviate the mass transport behavior limitations of H₂/O₂ AEMFCs and achieve a new record-setting peak power density of 1.9 W cm^-2 – a step-change to existing literature. Our efforts cast a new light on the design and optimization of AEMFCs – potentially changing the way that AEMFCs are constructed and operated.

Authors:

Omasta, Travis J.  ^[1];

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• Search DOE PAGES for ORCID "0000-0002-8002-6520"
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Park, Andrew M. ^[2]; LaManna, Jacob M. ^[3]; Zhang, Yufeng ^[4]; Peng, Xiong ^[1]; Wang, Lianqin  ^[5];

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• Search DOE PAGES for ORCID "0000-0002-2130-2935"
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Jacobson, David L. ^[3]; Varcoe, John R.  ^[5];

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• Search DOE PAGES for ORCID "0000-0001-9898-0235"
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Hussey, Daniel S. ^[3]; Pivovar, Bryan S. ^[2]; Mustain, William E.  ^[6]

• Search DOE PAGES for author "Mustain, William E."
• Search DOE PAGES for ORCID "0000-0001-7804-6410"
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+ Show Author Affiliations

1. Univ. of South Carolina, Columbia, SC (United States). Dept. of Chemical Engineering; Univ. of Connecticut, Storrs, CT (United States). Dept. of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
2. National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
3. National Inst. of Standards and Technology (NIST), Gaithersburg, MD (United States)
4. Univ. of Connecticut, Storrs, CT (United States). Dept. of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
5. Univ. of Surrey, Guildford (United Kingdom). Dept. of Chemistry
6. Department of Chemical Engineering; University of South Carolina; Columbia; USA; Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering

Publication Date:

2018-02-08

Research Org.:

National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:

USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES); Zhejiang Univ., Hangzhou (China); Univ. of Surrey, Guildford (United Kingdom); Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)

OSTI Identifier:

1422637

Alternate Identifier(s):

OSTI ID: 1432604

Report Number(s):

NREL/JA-5500-71277
Journal ID: ISSN 1754-5692; EESNBY

Grant/Contract Number:  

AC36-08GO28308; SC0010531; AI01-01EE50660; EP/M014371/1

Resource Type:

Published Article

Journal Name:

Energy & Environmental Science

Additional Journal Information:

Journal Name: Energy & Environmental Science Journal Volume: 11 Journal Issue: 3; Journal ID: ISSN 1754-5692

Publisher:

Royal Society of Chemistry

Country of Publication:

United Kingdom

Language:

English

Subject:

30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION; 37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY; 36 MATERIALS SCIENCE; alkaline fuel cells; carbon; fuel cells; ion exchange membranes