Effective Electrode Edge Protection for Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell Drive Cycle Operation

Wang, Min; Rome, Grace; Phillips, Adam; Ulsh, Michael; Bender, Guido

doi:10.1149/09208.0351ecst

Title: Effective Electrode Edge Protection for Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell Drive Cycle Operation

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Abstract

Drive cycle (DC) tests employ rapid load cycling which will result in rapidly changing local operating conditions and consequently high non-uniform mechanical stress at the electrode perimeter. In order to better investigate the impact of electrode irregularities on the long-term behavior of the cell, it is necessary to exclude the edge effects of the membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) as a failure mode. Therefore, an effective electrode edge protection technique using thin protective gaskets and a hot-pressing procedure was developed which dramatically prolonged lifetime. Open circuit voltage (OCV), air polarization curve, and hydrogen crossover limiting current density were monitored during the DC tests. For post-DC ex-situ analysis, an in-house developed pinhole detection apparatus was employed to analyze quantity, size, and location of the failure points of MEAs with and without edge protection. Non-protected MEAs typically developed tears at the electrode perimeter, while the longer-lasting protected MEAs exhibited seemingly random pinhole development.

Authors:

Wang, Min ^[1]; Rome, Grace ^[2];

^[1];

^[1]; Bender, Guido ^[1]

National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO (United States)

Publication Date:: Fri Oct 04 00:00:00 EDT 2019

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

Sponsoring Org.:: USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Sustainable Transportation Office. Hydrogen Fuel Cell Technologies Office

OSTI Identifier:: 1570822

Report Number(s):: NREL/JA-5900-74427
Journal ID: ISSN 1938-6737; MainId:11855;UUID:05a9b125-92ad-e911-9c24-ac162d87dfe5;MainAdminID:335

Grant/Contract Number:: AC36-08GO28308

Resource Type:: Accepted Manuscript

Journal Name:: ECS Transactions (Online)

Additional Journal Information:: Journal Name: ECS Transactions (Online); Journal Volume: 92; Journal Issue: 8; Journal ID: ISSN 1938-6737

Publisher:: Electrochemical Society

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

Subject:: 30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION; fuel cell; PEMFC; membrane electrode assembly; MEA; performance; roll to roll; R2R; manufacturing

Citation Formats


                    Wang, Min, Rome, Grace, Phillips, Adam, Ulsh, Michael, and Bender, Guido. Effective Electrode Edge Protection for Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell Drive Cycle Operation.  United States: N. p., 2019. 
Web.  doi:10.1149/09208.0351ecst.

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                    Wang, Min, Rome, Grace, Phillips, Adam, Ulsh, Michael, & Bender, Guido. Effective Electrode Edge Protection for Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell Drive Cycle Operation.  United States.  https://doi.org/10.1149/09208.0351ecst

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                    Wang, Min, Rome, Grace, Phillips, Adam, Ulsh, Michael, and Bender, Guido. Fri .  
"Effective Electrode Edge Protection for Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell Drive Cycle Operation".  United States.  https://doi.org/10.1149/09208.0351ecst.  https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1570822.

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@article{osti_1570822,

  title        = {Effective Electrode Edge Protection for Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell Drive Cycle Operation},

  author       = {Wang, Min and Rome, Grace and Phillips, Adam and Ulsh, Michael and Bender, Guido},

  abstractNote = {Drive cycle (DC) tests employ rapid load cycling which will result in rapidly changing local operating conditions and consequently high non-uniform mechanical stress at the electrode perimeter. In order to better investigate the impact of electrode irregularities on the long-term behavior of the cell, it is necessary to exclude the edge effects of the membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) as a failure mode. Therefore, an effective electrode edge protection technique using thin protective gaskets and a hot-pressing procedure was developed which dramatically prolonged lifetime. Open circuit voltage (OCV), air polarization curve, and hydrogen crossover limiting current density were monitored during the DC tests. For post-DC ex-situ analysis, an in-house developed pinhole detection apparatus was employed to analyze quantity, size, and location of the failure points of MEAs with and without edge protection. Non-protected MEAs typically developed tears at the electrode perimeter, while the longer-lasting protected MEAs exhibited seemingly random pinhole development.},

  doi          = {10.1149/09208.0351ecst},

  journal      = {ECS Transactions (Online)},

  number       = 8,

  volume       = 92,

  place        = {United States},

  year         = {Fri Oct 04 00:00:00 EDT 2019},

  month        = {Fri Oct 04 00:00:00 EDT 2019}

}

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