Impact of Microporous Layer Roughness on Gas-Diffusion-Electrode-Based Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell Performance

Wang, Min; Medina, Samantha; Pfeilsticker, Jason; Pylypenko, Svitlana; Ulsh, Michael J; Mauger, Scott A

doi:10.1021/acsaem.9b01871

Title: Impact of Microporous Layer Roughness on Gas-Diffusion-Electrode-Based Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell Performance

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Abstract

This study explores the role of the gas diffusion media microporous layer (MPL) surface structure on the electrochemical properties of gas-diffusion-electrode (GDE)-based membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs). It has been shown that a thin ionomer layer on top of the GDE and hot pressing is needed to create good contact between the catalyst layer and the membrane. In this study, gas diffusion media with different MPL surface roughness were applied to fabricate GDE-based MEAs to understand how MPL roughness impacts the amount of ionomer overlayer required for maximum performance. Electron microscopy was employed to investigate MPL/catalyst layer and catalyst layer/membrane interfaces. In-situ performance testing was used to assess the impact of MPL roughness and ionomer overlayer on catalyst utilization and air polarization performance. We find that a smoother MPL surface required a thinner ionomer overlayer than gas diffusion media (GDM) with a rougher MPL surface to achieve a performance comparable to direct-coated catalyst-coated-membrane MEAs.

Authors:

Wang, Min ^[1]; Medina, Samantha ^[2]; Pfeilsticker, Jason ^[1]; Pylypenko, Svitlana ^[1];

^[1];

^[1]

National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
Colorado School of Mines

Publication Date:: Thu Nov 07 00:00:00 EST 2019

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

Sponsoring Org.:: USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)

OSTI Identifier:: 1576483

Report Number(s):: NREL/JA-5900-74700
Journal ID: ISSN 2574-0962

Grant/Contract Number:: AC36-08GO28308

Resource Type:: Accepted Manuscript

Journal Name:: ACS Applied Energy Materials

Additional Journal Information:: Journal Volume: 2; Journal Issue: 11; Journal ID: ISSN 2574-0962

Publisher:: American Chemical Society (ACS)

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

Subject:: 36 MATERIALS SCIENCE; PEMFC; GDE; MPL; surface roughness; ionomer overlayer; interface; MEA structure

Citation Formats


                    Wang, Min, Medina, Samantha, Pfeilsticker, Jason, Pylypenko, Svitlana, Ulsh, Michael J, and Mauger, Scott A. Impact of Microporous Layer Roughness on Gas-Diffusion-Electrode-Based Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell Performance.  United States: N. p., 2019. 
Web.  doi:10.1021/acsaem.9b01871.

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                    Wang, Min, Medina, Samantha, Pfeilsticker, Jason, Pylypenko, Svitlana, Ulsh, Michael J, & Mauger, Scott A. Impact of Microporous Layer Roughness on Gas-Diffusion-Electrode-Based Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell Performance.  United States.  https://doi.org/10.1021/acsaem.9b01871

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                    Wang, Min, Medina, Samantha, Pfeilsticker, Jason, Pylypenko, Svitlana, Ulsh, Michael J, and Mauger, Scott A. Thu .  
"Impact of Microporous Layer Roughness on Gas-Diffusion-Electrode-Based Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell Performance".  United States.  https://doi.org/10.1021/acsaem.9b01871.  https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1576483.

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@article{osti_1576483,

  title        = {Impact of Microporous Layer Roughness on Gas-Diffusion-Electrode-Based Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell Performance},

  author       = {Wang, Min and Medina, Samantha and Pfeilsticker, Jason and Pylypenko, Svitlana and Ulsh, Michael J and Mauger, Scott A},

  abstractNote = {This study explores the role of the gas diffusion media microporous layer (MPL) surface structure on the electrochemical properties of gas-diffusion-electrode (GDE)-based membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs). It has been shown that a thin ionomer layer on top of the GDE and hot pressing is needed to create good contact between the catalyst layer and the membrane. In this study, gas diffusion media with different MPL surface roughness were applied to fabricate GDE-based MEAs to understand how MPL roughness impacts the amount of ionomer overlayer required for maximum performance. Electron microscopy was employed to investigate MPL/catalyst layer and catalyst layer/membrane interfaces. In-situ performance testing was used to assess the impact of MPL roughness and ionomer overlayer on catalyst utilization and air polarization performance. We find that a smoother MPL surface required a thinner ionomer overlayer than gas diffusion media (GDM) with a rougher MPL surface to achieve a performance comparable to direct-coated catalyst-coated-membrane MEAs.},

  doi          = {10.1021/acsaem.9b01871},

  journal      = {ACS Applied Energy Materials},

  number       = 11,

  volume       = 2,

  place        = {United States},

  year         = {Thu Nov 07 00:00:00 EST 2019},

  month        = {Thu Nov 07 00:00:00 EST 2019}

}

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