Gravure Coating for Roll-to-Roll Manufacturing of Proton-Exchange-Membrane Fuel Cell Catalyst Layers

Mauger, Scott A.; Neyerlin, K. C.; Yang-Neyerlin, Ami C.; More, Karren L.; Ulsh, Michael

doi:10.1149/2.0091813jes

Title: Gravure Coating for Roll-to-Roll Manufacturing of Proton-Exchange-Membrane Fuel Cell Catalyst Layers

Abstract

In this study, we demonstrate gravure coating as a highly relevant technology for the production of roll-to-roll coated catalyst layers. Our results showed gravure coating is capable of coating multi-meter lengths of platinum on carbon catalyst layers at industrially-relevant loadings. Multiple characterization methods were used to examine the microscale and macroscale morphology of the coated layer. Using full-web inspection it was shown that gravure coating produced uniform films in both the cross-web and down-web directions. Using electron microscopy, it was observed that gravure coating produced catalyst layers with larger pores than catalyst layers produced by ultrasonic spray coating. In situ performance testing of the gravure-coated electrodes showed promising results, though additional modifications to the catalyst layer ink and/or drying process are needed to match the catalytic activity of spray-coated catalyst layers. This study lays the foundation for future process science studies to understand the science of scale up.

Authors:

; Neyerlin, K. C.; Yang-Neyerlin, Ami C.;

; Ulsh, Michael

Publication Date:: Tue Sep 11 00:00:00 EDT 2018

Research Org.:: Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:: USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Sustainable Transportation Office. Hydrogen Fuel Cell Technologies Office (HFTO); USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES). Scientific User Facilities Division

OSTI Identifier:: 1469412

Alternate Identifier(s):: OSTI ID: 1474457; OSTI ID: 1476706

Report Number(s):: NREL/JA-5900-71884
Journal ID: ISSN 0013-4651; /jes/165/11/F1012.atom

Grant/Contract Number:: AC05-00OR22725; AC36-08GO28308

Resource Type:: Published Article

Journal Name:: Journal of the Electrochemical Society

Additional Journal Information:: Journal Name: Journal of the Electrochemical Society Journal Volume: 165 Journal Issue: 11; Journal ID: ISSN 0013-4651

Publisher:: The Electrochemical Society

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

Subject:: 30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION; 37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY; 42 ENGINEERING; catalyst layers; fuel cells; roll-to-roll; gravure

Citation Formats


                    Mauger, Scott A., Neyerlin, K. C., Yang-Neyerlin, Ami C., More, Karren L., and Ulsh, Michael. Gravure Coating for Roll-to-Roll Manufacturing of Proton-Exchange-Membrane Fuel Cell Catalyst Layers.  United States: N. p., 2018. 
Web.  doi:10.1149/2.0091813jes.

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                    Mauger, Scott A., Neyerlin, K. C., Yang-Neyerlin, Ami C., More, Karren L., & Ulsh, Michael. Gravure Coating for Roll-to-Roll Manufacturing of Proton-Exchange-Membrane Fuel Cell Catalyst Layers.  United States.  https://doi.org/10.1149/2.0091813jes

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                    Mauger, Scott A., Neyerlin, K. C., Yang-Neyerlin, Ami C., More, Karren L., and Ulsh, Michael. Tue .  
"Gravure Coating for Roll-to-Roll Manufacturing of Proton-Exchange-Membrane Fuel Cell Catalyst Layers".  United States.  https://doi.org/10.1149/2.0091813jes.

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@article{osti_1469412,

  title        = {Gravure Coating for Roll-to-Roll Manufacturing of Proton-Exchange-Membrane Fuel Cell Catalyst Layers},

  author       = {Mauger, Scott A. and Neyerlin, K. C. and Yang-Neyerlin, Ami C. and More, Karren L. and Ulsh, Michael},

  abstractNote = {In this study, we demonstrate gravure coating as a highly relevant technology for the production of roll-to-roll coated catalyst layers. Our results showed gravure coating is capable of coating multi-meter lengths of platinum on carbon catalyst layers at industrially-relevant loadings. Multiple characterization methods were used to examine the microscale and macroscale morphology of the coated layer. Using full-web inspection it was shown that gravure coating produced uniform films in both the cross-web and down-web directions. Using electron microscopy, it was observed that gravure coating produced catalyst layers with larger pores than catalyst layers produced by ultrasonic spray coating. In situ performance testing of the gravure-coated electrodes showed promising results, though additional modifications to the catalyst layer ink and/or drying process are needed to match the catalytic activity of spray-coated catalyst layers. This study lays the foundation for future process science studies to understand the science of scale up.},

  doi          = {10.1149/2.0091813jes},

  journal      = {Journal of the Electrochemical Society},

  number       = 11,

  volume       = 165,

  place        = {United States},

  year         = {Tue Sep 11 00:00:00 EDT 2018},

  month        = {Tue Sep 11 00:00:00 EDT 2018}

}

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Title: Gravure Coating for Roll-to-Roll Manufacturing of Proton-Exchange-Membrane Fuel Cell Catalyst Layers

Abstract

Citation Formats

High-performance Fuel Cell with Stretched Catalyst-Coated Membrane: One-step Formation of Cracked Electrode journal, May 2016

The Effect of Mechanical Fatigue on the Lifetimes of Membrane Electrode Assemblies journal, April 2010

New Insights from Electrochemical Diagnostics Pertaining to the High Current Density Performance of Pt-Based Catalysts journal, September 2016

Investigation of a Catalyst Ink Dispersion Using Both Ultra-Small-Angle X-ray Scattering and Cryogenic TEM journal, December 2010

The Property and Performance Differences Between Catalyst Coated Membrane and Catalyst Coated Diffusion Media journal, March 2011

Experimental and Theoretical Analysis of Ink Dispersion Stability for Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cell Applications journal, January 2017

A review of the operating limits in slot die coating processes journal, May 2016

Structural evolution of a catalyst ink for fuel cells during the drying process investigated by CV-SANS journal, June 2015

3D Failure Analysis of Pure Mechanical and Pure Chemical Degradation in Fuel Cell Membranes journal, January 2017

Drying regime maps for particulate coatings journal, January 2010

Fabrication of a thin catalyst layer using organic solvents journal, March 2004

Morphological features (defects) in fuel cell membrane electrode assemblies journal, July 2006

Computational and Experimental Analysis of Water Transport at Component Interfaces in Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells journal, January 2014

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Statistical investigations of basis weight and thickness distribution of continuously produced fuel cell electrodes journal, November 2013

Electrocatalyst approaches and challenges for automotive fuel cells journal, June 2012

Defect Detection in Fuel Cell Gas Diffusion Electrodes Using Infrared Thermography journal, March 2016

Liquid transfer from single cavities to rotating rolls journal, April 2014

Effects of Catalyst Carbon Support on Proton Conduction and Cathode Performance in PEM Fuel Cells journal, January 2011

Roll-to-roll coated PBI membranes for high temperature PEM fuel cells journal, January 2012

PEMFC electrode preparation: Influence of the solvent composition and evaporation rate on the catalytic layer microstructure journal, October 2005

Ink transfer of non-Newtonian fluids from an idealized gravure cell: The effect of shear and extensional deformation journal, May 2017

Fabrication Method for Laboratory-Scale High-Performance Membrane Electrode Assemblies for Fuel Cells journal, December 2016

Clustering and Percolation in Suspensions of Carbon Black journal, August 2017

Predicting fluid penetration during slot die coating onto porous substrates journal, August 2013

Reactive impinging-flow technique for polymer-electrolyte-fuel-cell electrode-defect detection journal, November 2016

Fuel Cell Performance Implications of Membrane Electrode Assembly Fabrication with Platinum-Nickel Nanowire Catalysts journal, January 2018

The effect of shear-thickening on liquid transfer from an idealized gravure cell journal, July 2015

High-performance Fuel Cell with Stretched Catalyst-Coated Membrane: One-step Formation of Cracked Electrode
journal, May 2016

The Effect of Mechanical Fatigue on the Lifetimes of Membrane Electrode Assemblies
journal, April 2010

New Insights from Electrochemical Diagnostics Pertaining to the High Current Density Performance of Pt-Based Catalysts
journal, September 2016

Investigation of a Catalyst Ink Dispersion Using Both Ultra-Small-Angle X-ray Scattering and Cryogenic TEM
journal, December 2010

The Property and Performance Differences Between Catalyst Coated Membrane and Catalyst Coated Diffusion Media
journal, March 2011

Experimental and Theoretical Analysis of Ink Dispersion Stability for Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cell Applications
journal, January 2017

A review of the operating limits in slot die coating processes
journal, May 2016

Structural evolution of a catalyst ink for fuel cells during the drying process investigated by CV-SANS
journal, June 2015

3D Failure Analysis of Pure Mechanical and Pure Chemical Degradation in Fuel Cell Membranes
journal, January 2017

Drying regime maps for particulate coatings
journal, January 2010

Fabrication of a thin catalyst layer using organic solvents
journal, March 2004

Morphological features (defects) in fuel cell membrane electrode assemblies
journal, July 2006

Computational and Experimental Analysis of Water Transport at Component Interfaces in Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells
journal, January 2014

SANS studies on catalyst ink of fuel cell
journal, August 2013

Statistical investigations of basis weight and thickness distribution of continuously produced fuel cell electrodes
journal, November 2013

Electrocatalyst approaches and challenges for automotive fuel cells
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Defect Detection in Fuel Cell Gas Diffusion Electrodes Using Infrared Thermography
journal, March 2016

Liquid transfer from single cavities to rotating rolls
journal, April 2014

Effects of Catalyst Carbon Support on Proton Conduction and Cathode Performance in PEM Fuel Cells
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PEMFC electrode preparation: Influence of the solvent composition and evaporation rate on the catalytic layer microstructure
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Ink transfer of non-Newtonian fluids from an idealized gravure cell: The effect of shear and extensional deformation
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