Electrospun Particle/Polymer Fiber Electrodes with a Neat Nafion Binder for Hydrogen/Air Fuel Cells

Waldrop, Krysta; Slack, John; Gumeci, Cenk; Dale, Nilesh; Reeves, Kimberly Shawn; Cullen, David A.; More, Karren L.; Pintauro, Peter N.

doi:10.1149/09208.0595ecst

Title: Electrospun Particle/Polymer Fiber Electrodes with a Neat Nafion Binder for Hydrogen/Air Fuel Cells

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Abstract

Electrospun nanofiber electrodes for hydrogen/air fuel cells were prepared using poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) carrier polymer, where previous publications used poly(acrylic acid) (PAA). Electrospinning with PEO carrier is only possible when the ink contains Nafion® in its salt form. Here, fiber electrodes were evaluated in 5 cm² membrane-electrode-assemblies (MEAs) and exhibited excellent power at high and low feed gas relative humidities. For example, a nanofiber cathode MEA made from an ink containing Na⁺-form Nafion, PEO, and Pt/C generated 822 mW/cm² at maximum power, 40% RH, 80 °C, and 200 kPa_abs, whereas PAA-based ink electrode MEAs produced 527 mW/cm². Changes in PEO molecular weight had no notable impact on fuel cell performance. Different Nafion counter-ions were studied. The use of Cs⁺-form Nafion resulted in the best MEA performance, producing 919 mW/cm² at maximum power under full humidification and 800 mW/cm² at 40% RH.

Authors:

Waldrop, Krysta ^[1]; Slack, John ^[1]; Gumeci, Cenk ^[2]; Dale, Nilesh ^[2]; Reeves, Kimberly Shawn ^[3];

^[3];

^[1]

Vanderbilt Univ., Nashville, TN (United States)
Nissan Technical Center, Farmington Hills, MI (United States)
Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

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

Research Org.:: Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Vanderbilt Univ., Nashville, TN (United States)

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

OSTI Identifier:: 1709107

Alternate Identifier(s):: OSTI ID: 2311797

Grant/Contract Number:: AC05-00OR22725; EE0007653

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:: 25 ENERGY STORAGE

Citation Formats


                    Waldrop, Krysta, Slack, John, Gumeci, Cenk, Dale, Nilesh, Reeves, Kimberly Shawn, Cullen, David A., More, Karren L., and Pintauro, Peter N. Electrospun Particle/Polymer Fiber Electrodes with a Neat Nafion Binder for Hydrogen/Air Fuel Cells.  United States: N. p., 2019. 
Web.  doi:10.1149/09208.0595ecst.

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                    Waldrop, Krysta, Slack, John, Gumeci, Cenk, Dale, Nilesh, Reeves, Kimberly Shawn, Cullen, David A., More, Karren L., & Pintauro, Peter N. Electrospun Particle/Polymer Fiber Electrodes with a Neat Nafion Binder for Hydrogen/Air Fuel Cells.  United States.  https://doi.org/10.1149/09208.0595ecst

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                    Waldrop, Krysta, Slack, John, Gumeci, Cenk, Dale, Nilesh, Reeves, Kimberly Shawn, Cullen, David A., More, Karren L., and Pintauro, Peter N. Fri .  
"Electrospun Particle/Polymer Fiber Electrodes with a Neat Nafion Binder for Hydrogen/Air Fuel Cells".  United States.  https://doi.org/10.1149/09208.0595ecst.  https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1709107.

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@article{osti_1709107,

  title        = {Electrospun Particle/Polymer Fiber Electrodes with a Neat Nafion Binder for Hydrogen/Air Fuel Cells},

  author       = {Waldrop, Krysta and Slack, John and Gumeci, Cenk and Dale, Nilesh and Reeves, Kimberly Shawn and Cullen, David A. and More, Karren L. and Pintauro, Peter N.},

  abstractNote = {Electrospun nanofiber electrodes for hydrogen/air fuel cells were prepared using poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) carrier polymer, where previous publications used poly(acrylic acid) (PAA). Electrospinning with PEO carrier is only possible when the ink contains Nafion® in its salt form. Here, fiber electrodes were evaluated in 5 cm2 membrane-electrode-assemblies (MEAs) and exhibited excellent power at high and low feed gas relative humidities. For example, a nanofiber cathode MEA made from an ink containing Na+-form Nafion, PEO, and Pt/C generated 822 mW/cm2 at maximum power, 40% RH, 80 °C, and 200 kPaabs, whereas PAA-based ink electrode MEAs produced 527 mW/cm2. Changes in PEO molecular weight had no notable impact on fuel cell performance. Different Nafion counter-ions were studied. The use of Cs+-form Nafion resulted in the best MEA performance, producing 919 mW/cm2 at maximum power under full humidification and 800 mW/cm2 at 40% RH.},

  doi          = {10.1149/09208.0595ecst},

  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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