Understanding the effects of PEMFC contamination from balance of plant assembly aids materials: In situ studies

Journal Article · Mon Jun 29 00:00:00 EDT 2015 · Journal of the Electrochemical Society

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1149/2.0411509jes· OSTI ID:1220734

Opu, Md. ^[1]; Bender, G. ^[2]; Macomber, Clay S. ^[2]; Van Zee, J. W. ^[3]; Dinh, Huyen N. ^[2]

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1. Univ. of South Carolina, Columbia, SC (United States). Dept. of Chemical Engineering; National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
2. National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
3. Univ. of South Carolina, Columbia, SC (United States). Dept. of Chemical Engineering; Univ. of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL (United States). Dept. of Chemical and Biological Engineering

In this study, in situ performance data were measured to assess the degree of contamination from leachates of five families of balance of plant (BOP) materials (i.e., 2-part adhesive, grease, thread lock/seal, silicone adhesive/seal and urethane adhesive/seal) broadly classified as assembly aids that may be used as adhesives and lubricants in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) systems. Leachate solutions, derived from soaking the materials in deionized (DI) water at elevated temperature, were infused into the fuel cell to determine the effect of the leachates on fuel cell performance. During the contamination phase of the experiments, leachate solution was introduced through a nebulizer into the cathode feed stream of a 50 cm² PEMFC operating at 0.2 A/cm² at 80°C and 32%RH. Voltage loss and high frequency resistance (HFR) were measured as a function of time and electrochemical surface area (ECA) before and after contamination were compared. Two procedures of recovery, one self-induced recovery with DI water and one driven recovery through cyclic voltammetry (CV) were investigated. Finally, performance results measured before and after contamination and after CV recovery are compared and discussed.

• Research Organization: National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Univ. of South Carolina, Columbia, SC (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Sustainable Transportation Office. Hydrogen Fuel Cell Technologies Office
• Grant/Contract Number: AC36-08GO28308; ZGB-0-99180-1
• OSTI ID: 1220734
• Report Number(s): NREL/JA-5900-64088
• Journal Information: Journal of the Electrochemical Society, Vol. 162, Issue 9; Related Information: Journal of the Electrochemical Society; ISSN 0013-4651
• Publisher: The Electrochemical Society
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY
PEMFC
fuel cells
system contaminants
balance of plant materials (BOP)
assembly aids materials
ion-exchange
adhesive
grease
leachates
liquid infusion
seal