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Title: Water Uptake in PEMFC Catalyst Layers

Abstract

Water uptake profiles of proton-exchange-membrane fuel-cell catalyst layers are characterized in the form of capillary-pressure saturation (Pc-S) curves. The curves indicate that the catalyst layers tested are highly hydrophilic and require capillary pressures as low as -80 kPa to eject imbibed water. Comparison of materials made with and without Pt indicates a difference in water ejection and uptake phenomena due to the presence of Pt. The addition of Pt increases the tendency of the catalyst layer to retain water. Dynamic vapor sorption (DVS) is used to characterize the water-vapor sorption onto Nafion, Pt/C, and C surfaces. The DVS results align with the trends found from the Pc-S curves and show an increased propensity for water uptake in the presence of Pt. The effect of the ion in Nafion, sodium or protonated form, is also compared and demonstrates that although the protonation of the Nafion in the catalyst layer also increases hydrophilicity, the effect is not as great as that caused by Pt.

Authors:
; ; ; ;
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
Environmental Energy Technologies Division
OSTI Identifier:
1057566
Report Number(s):
LBNL-5322E
DOE Contract Number:  
DE-AC02-05CH11231
Resource Type:
Conference
Resource Relation:
Conference: Fall 2011 Meeting of the Electrochemical Society, Boston
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION; fuel cell, catalyst layer, water uptake

Citation Formats

Gunterman, Haluna P, Kwong, Anthony H, Gostick, Jeffrey T, Kusoglu, Ahmet, and Weber, Adam Z. Water Uptake in PEMFC Catalyst Layers. United States: N. p., 2011. Web.
Gunterman, Haluna P, Kwong, Anthony H, Gostick, Jeffrey T, Kusoglu, Ahmet, & Weber, Adam Z. Water Uptake in PEMFC Catalyst Layers. United States.
Gunterman, Haluna P, Kwong, Anthony H, Gostick, Jeffrey T, Kusoglu, Ahmet, and Weber, Adam Z. 2011. "Water Uptake in PEMFC Catalyst Layers". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1057566.
@article{osti_1057566,
title = {Water Uptake in PEMFC Catalyst Layers},
author = {Gunterman, Haluna P and Kwong, Anthony H and Gostick, Jeffrey T and Kusoglu, Ahmet and Weber, Adam Z},
abstractNote = {Water uptake profiles of proton-exchange-membrane fuel-cell catalyst layers are characterized in the form of capillary-pressure saturation (Pc-S) curves. The curves indicate that the catalyst layers tested are highly hydrophilic and require capillary pressures as low as -80 kPa to eject imbibed water. Comparison of materials made with and without Pt indicates a difference in water ejection and uptake phenomena due to the presence of Pt. The addition of Pt increases the tendency of the catalyst layer to retain water. Dynamic vapor sorption (DVS) is used to characterize the water-vapor sorption onto Nafion, Pt/C, and C surfaces. The DVS results align with the trends found from the Pc-S curves and show an increased propensity for water uptake in the presence of Pt. The effect of the ion in Nafion, sodium or protonated form, is also compared and demonstrates that although the protonation of the Nafion in the catalyst layer also increases hydrophilicity, the effect is not as great as that caused by Pt.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1057566}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 2011},
month = {Fri Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 2011}
}

Conference:
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