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Title: Electrospun Nanofiber Electrodes for High and Low Humidity PEMFC Operation

Abstract

Abstract MEAs with nanofiber mat electrodes containing Pt/C catalyst and Nafion binder were fabricated and evaluated. The electrodes were prepared by electrospinning a solution of catalyst powder, salt-form Nafion (with Na + , Li + , or Cs + as the sulfonic acid counterion), and a carrier polymer of either polyethylene oxide or poly(acrylic acid). The carrier polymer was extracted prior to MEA testing by a hot water soaking step. The resulting fibers were 15-17% porous, with a core-shell-like morphology (a coating of primarily Nafion on the fiber surface). MEAs with anode/cathode catalyst loadings of 0.1 mg Pt /cm 2 each and a Nafion 211 membrane produced high power at both high and low relative humidity (RH) conditions in H2/air fuel cell tests, e.g., a maximum power density of 919 mW/cm 2 at 100% RH and 832 mW/cm 2 at 40% RH for a test at 80 °C and 200 kPa abs . The presence of nm-size pores within the fibers trapped water via capillary condensation during low RH feed gas testing, thus maintaining a high proton conductivity of the Nafion binder in the anode and cathode while minimizing/eliminating ionic isolation of catalyst particles in low water content, poorly conductivemore » binder.« less

Authors:
; ; ; ; ; ; ORCiD logo; ; ORCiD logo
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)
OSTI Identifier:
1924817
Alternate Identifier(s):
OSTI ID: 1923396; OSTI ID: 1986210
Grant/Contract Number:  
AC05-00OR22725; EE0007653
Resource Type:
Published Article
Journal Name:
Journal of the Electrochemical Society
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Name: Journal of the Electrochemical Society Journal Volume: 170 Journal Issue: 2; Journal ID: ISSN 0013-4651
Publisher:
The Electrochemical Society
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
25 ENERGY STORAGE

Citation Formats

Waldrop, Krysta, Slack, John J., Gumeci, Cenk, Parrondo, Javier, Dale, Nilesh, Reeves, Kimberly Shawn, Cullen, David A., More, Karren L., and Pintauro, Peter N. Electrospun Nanofiber Electrodes for High and Low Humidity PEMFC Operation. United States: N. p., 2023. Web. doi:10.1149/1945-7111/acb8e2.
Waldrop, Krysta, Slack, John J., Gumeci, Cenk, Parrondo, Javier, Dale, Nilesh, Reeves, Kimberly Shawn, Cullen, David A., More, Karren L., & Pintauro, Peter N. Electrospun Nanofiber Electrodes for High and Low Humidity PEMFC Operation. United States. https://doi.org/10.1149/1945-7111/acb8e2
Waldrop, Krysta, Slack, John J., Gumeci, Cenk, Parrondo, Javier, Dale, Nilesh, Reeves, Kimberly Shawn, Cullen, David A., More, Karren L., and Pintauro, Peter N. Wed . "Electrospun Nanofiber Electrodes for High and Low Humidity PEMFC Operation". United States. https://doi.org/10.1149/1945-7111/acb8e2.
@article{osti_1924817,
title = {Electrospun Nanofiber Electrodes for High and Low Humidity PEMFC Operation},
author = {Waldrop, Krysta and Slack, John J. and Gumeci, Cenk and Parrondo, Javier and Dale, Nilesh and Reeves, Kimberly Shawn and Cullen, David A. and More, Karren L. and Pintauro, Peter N.},
abstractNote = {Abstract MEAs with nanofiber mat electrodes containing Pt/C catalyst and Nafion binder were fabricated and evaluated. The electrodes were prepared by electrospinning a solution of catalyst powder, salt-form Nafion (with Na + , Li + , or Cs + as the sulfonic acid counterion), and a carrier polymer of either polyethylene oxide or poly(acrylic acid). The carrier polymer was extracted prior to MEA testing by a hot water soaking step. The resulting fibers were 15-17% porous, with a core-shell-like morphology (a coating of primarily Nafion on the fiber surface). MEAs with anode/cathode catalyst loadings of 0.1 mg Pt /cm 2 each and a Nafion 211 membrane produced high power at both high and low relative humidity (RH) conditions in H2/air fuel cell tests, e.g., a maximum power density of 919 mW/cm 2 at 100% RH and 832 mW/cm 2 at 40% RH for a test at 80 °C and 200 kPa abs . The presence of nm-size pores within the fibers trapped water via capillary condensation during low RH feed gas testing, thus maintaining a high proton conductivity of the Nafion binder in the anode and cathode while minimizing/eliminating ionic isolation of catalyst particles in low water content, poorly conductive binder.},
doi = {10.1149/1945-7111/acb8e2},
journal = {Journal of the Electrochemical Society},
number = 2,
volume = 170,
place = {United States},
year = {Wed Feb 15 00:00:00 EST 2023},
month = {Wed Feb 15 00:00:00 EST 2023}
}

Journal Article:
Free Publicly Available Full Text
Publisher's Version of Record
https://doi.org/10.1149/1945-7111/acb8e2

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