TY - JOUR
T1 - Patterned Membranes for Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells Working at Low Humidity
AU - Fernihough, Oliver
AU - Cheshire, Holly
AU - Romano, Jean-Michel
AU - Ibrahim, Ahmed
AU - El-Kharouf, Ahmad
AU - Du, Shangfeng
PY - 2021/6/16
Y1 - 2021/6/16
N2 - High performing proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) that can operate at low relative humidity is a continuing technical challenge for PEMFC developers. In this work, micro-patterned membranes are demonstrated at the cathode side by solution casting techniques using stainless steel moulds with laser-imposed periodic surface structures (LIPSS). Three types of patterns, lotus, lines, and sharklet, are investigated for their influence on the PEMFC power performance at varying humidity conditions. The experimental results show that the cathode electrolyte pattern, in all cases, enhances the fuel cell power performance at 100% relative humidity (RH). However, only the sharklet pattern exhibits a significant improvement at 25% RH, where a peak power density of 450 mW cm is recorded compared with 150 mW cm of the conventional flat membrane. The improvements are explored based on high-frequency resistance, electrochemically active surface area (ECSA), and hydrogen crossover by in situ membrane electrode assembly (MEA) testing.
AB - High performing proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) that can operate at low relative humidity is a continuing technical challenge for PEMFC developers. In this work, micro-patterned membranes are demonstrated at the cathode side by solution casting techniques using stainless steel moulds with laser-imposed periodic surface structures (LIPSS). Three types of patterns, lotus, lines, and sharklet, are investigated for their influence on the PEMFC power performance at varying humidity conditions. The experimental results show that the cathode electrolyte pattern, in all cases, enhances the fuel cell power performance at 100% relative humidity (RH). However, only the sharklet pattern exhibits a significant improvement at 25% RH, where a peak power density of 450 mW cm is recorded compared with 150 mW cm of the conventional flat membrane. The improvements are explored based on high-frequency resistance, electrochemically active surface area (ECSA), and hydrogen crossover by in situ membrane electrode assembly (MEA) testing.
KW - PEMFC
KW - Proton exchange membrane
KW - Catalyst layer
KW - inteface
KW - patterned membrane
U2 - 10.3390/polym13121976
DO - 10.3390/polym13121976
M3 - Article
C2 - 34208568
SN - 2073-4360
VL - 13
JO - Polymers
JF - Polymers
IS - 12
M1 - 1976
ER -