The influence of electrode crack dimensions on the durability of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells

Taylor, Audrey K.; Baez-Cotto, Carlos M.; Hu, Leiming; Smith, Colby; Rodriguez-Nazario, Alejandra; Young, James L.; Mauger, Scott A.; Neyerlin, Kenneth C.

doi:10.1016/j.jpowsour.2024.235884

Title: The influence of electrode crack dimensions on the durability of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells

Journal Article · 23 November 2024 · Journal of Power Sources

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2024.235884 · OSTI ID:2480300

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National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

Electrode cracks in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) are correlated with early onset failures. Here, in this work we investigate the influence of cracked gas diffusion electrodes (GDEs) on the durability of the membrane electrode assembly (MEA) using a combined chemical-mechanical accelerated stress test (AST). Electrode crack dimensions were systematically tuned using ink formulations and material selection strategies. A parameter to describe the crack width areal density (Φ_CW) was used to quantify the degree of discontinuity in the electrode surfaces. Open circuit voltage (OCV) transient analyses were used to benchmark and characterize the failure mechanisms in the MEAs as a function of the Φ_CW. While smaller electrode-level cracks, on the order of microns, yielded a 28 % decrease in operating lifetime, larger cracks that propagated from a discontinuous, microporous layer (MPL) coating, decreased the operating lifetime by 56 %. This work emphasizes the need for material processing strategies that consider defect tolerances to limit membrane failures in PEMFCs.

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Research Organization:: National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

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

Grant/Contract Number:: AC36-08GO28308

OSTI ID:: 2480300

Report Number(s):: NREL/JA--5900-90343; MainId:92121; UUID:b1d64f3a-3690-480d-8e8d-7cd6c1ec606b; MainAdminId:73069

Journal Information:: Journal of Power Sources, Journal Name: Journal of Power Sources Vol. 628; ISSN 0378-7753

Publisher:: ElsevierCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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Related Subjects

08 HYDROGEN
MPL crack
accelerated stress test
electrode crack
electrode morphology
gas diffusion electrode
polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell

Title: The influence of electrode crack dimensions on the durability of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells

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