journal article·2020-04

Preparation of hierarchical-pore gas diffusion layer for fuel cell

Tianya Li, Kejian Wang, Jihao Wang, Yueqi Liu, Yufen Han, Jinghui Song, Hengwei Hu, Guangyi Lin, Yong Liu

Journal of Materials Science· Volume 55· Issue 11
Publisher page

Abstract

Proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) is a promising automotive power source that has been gradually applied due to its many advantages such as pollution-free and low-temperature start-up. The gas diffusion layer (GDL) is a key component for water and gas management in PEMFC. It can directly affect the performance of PEMFC. In this paper, we prepared a new type of GDL with hierarchical pores to improve the performance of PEMFC at high current density. The new GDL mainly includes a commercial carbon paper layer and two microporous layers on the same side of carbon paper. The microporous layer near carbon paper was modified with pore former, and another layer was produced without pore former. The pore size of the middle microporous layer was controlled by the content of pore former and times of sonication. From the results of the polarization curve, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, water contact angle, conductivity, and pore size distribution, it was found that GDL with hierarchical pores shows obvious advancement than commercial GDL. The PEMFC performance was tested to compare the new and commercial GDL. The results show that the peak power of our GDL at 100% humidity reaches 1.24 W/cm2 and the limit current density is 3.500 A/cm2. The modification of the pore size of the microporous layer near the carbon paper side can improve the water management ability of the fuel cell.
Source: openaire · Quality: candidate unverified · Source record ↗

Research context

OpenAlex topics: Fuel Cells and Related Materials · Electrocatalysts for Energy Conversion · Membrane-based Ion Separation Techniques

SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.

References (27)

Show source-provided references
1. Kang DG, Shin DK, Kim S, Kim MS (2019) Experimental study on the performance improvement of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell with dual air supply. Renew Energy 141:669–67710.1016/j.renene.2019.04.029 ↗
2. Cai C, Rao Y, Zhang Y, Wu F, Li S, Pan M (2019) Failure mechanism of PEM fuel cell under high back pressures operation. Int J Hydrogen Energy 44(26):13786–1379310.1016/j.ijhydene.2019.03.221 ↗
3. Wang WT, Chen SQ, Li JJ, Wang W (2015) Fabrication of catalyst coated membrane with screen printing method in a proton exchange membrane fuel cell. Int J Hydrogen Energy 40(13):4649–465810.1016/j.ijhydene.2015.02.027 ↗
4. Litster S, McLean G (2019) PEM fuel cell electrodes. J Power Sources 130(1–2):61–76
5. Nam JH, Kaviany M (2003) Effective diffusivity and water-saturation distribution in single-and two-layer PEMFC diffusion medium. Int J Heat Mass Transf 46(24):4595–461110.1016/S0017-9310(03)00305-3 ↗
6. Brandon NP, Skinner S, Steele BCH (2003) Recent advances in materials for fuel cells. Annu Rev Mater Res 33:183–21310.1146/annurev.matsci.33.022802.094122 ↗
7. Kjelstrup S, Coppens MO, Pharoah JG, Pfeifer P (2010) Nature-inspired energy- and material-efficient design of a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell. Energy Fuels 24(9):5097–510810.1021/ef100610w ↗
8. Oh H, Park J, Min K, Lee E, Jyoung JY (2015) Effects of pore size gradient in the substrate of a gas diffusion layer on the performance of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell. Appl Energy 149:186–19310.1016/j.apenergy.2015.03.072 ↗
9. Kaplan BY, Sanli LI, Gursel SA (2017) Flexible carbon–cellulose fiber-based composite gas diffusion layer for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells. J Mater Sci 52(9):4968–4976. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-016-0734-610.1007/s10853-016-0734-6 ↗
10. Chun JH, Park KT, Jo DH, Lee JY, Kim SG, Park SH, Lee ES, Jyoung JY, Kim SH (2011) Development of a novel hydrophobic/hydrophilic double microporous layer for use in a cathode gas diffusion layer in PEMFC. Int J Hydrogen Energy 36(14):8422–884210.1016/j.ijhydene.2011.04.038 ↗
11. Li TY, Xu YL, Wang KJ, Song JH, Hu HW, Liu H, Liu YQ, Liu Y, Wu J, Pi HH, Ramakrishna S (2019) Preparation and performance of hydrophobic and conductive silica composite fiber membrane. J Mater Sci 55(1):191–202. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-019-04015-410.1007/s10853-019-04015-4 ↗
12. Chun JH, Jo DH, Kim SG, Park SH, Lee CH, Lee ES, Jyoung JY, Kim SH (2013) Development of a porosity-graded microporous layer using thermal expandable graphite for proton exchange membrane fuel cells. Renew Energy 58:28–9310.1016/j.renene.2013.02.025 ↗
13. Wang YQ, Wang L, Advani SG, Prasad AK (2015) Double-layer gas diffusion media for improved water management in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells. J Power Sources 292:39–4810.1016/j.jpowsour.2015.05.028 ↗
14. Cho J, Oh H, Park J, Min K, Lee E, Jyoung JY (2014) Effect of the microporous layer design on the dynamic performance of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell. Int J Hydrogen Energy 39:459–46810.1016/j.ijhydene.2013.10.041 ↗
15. Kitahara T, Nakajima H (2016) Microporous layer-coated gas diffusion layer to reduce oxygen transport resistance in a polymer electrolyte fuel cell under high humidity conditions. Int J Hydrogen Energy 41(22):9547–955510.1016/j.ijhydene.2016.04.117 ↗
16. Quick C, Ritzinger D, Lehnert W, Hartnig C (2009) Characterization of water transport in gas diffusion media. J Power Sources 190(1):110–12010.1016/j.jpowsour.2008.07.093 ↗
17. Tseng CJ, Lo SK (2010) Effects of microstructure characteristics of gas diffusion layer and microporous layer on the performance of PEMFC. Energy Convers Manag 51(4):677–68410.1016/j.enconman.2009.11.011 ↗
18. Kim KN, Kang JH, Lee SG, Nam JH, Kim CJ (2015) Lattice Boltzmann simulation of liquid water transport in microporous and gas diffusion layers of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells. J Power Sources 278:703–71710.1016/j.jpowsour.2014.12.044 ↗
19. Lu YX, Steinberger-Wilckens R, Du SF (2018) Evolution of gas diffusion layer structures for aligned Pt nanowire electrodes in PEMFC applications. Electrochim Acta 279:99–10710.1016/j.electacta.2018.05.008 ↗
20. Orogbemi OM, Ingham DB, Ismail MS, Hughes KJ, Ma L, Pourkashanian M (2018) Through-plane gas permeability of gas diffusion layers and microporous layer: effects of carbon loading and sintering. J Energy Inst 91(2):270–27810.1016/j.joei.2016.11.008 ↗
21. Hagesteijn KFL, Jiang SX, Ladewig BP (2018) A review of the synthesis and characterization of anion exchange membranes. J Mater Sci 53(16):11131–11150. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-018-2409-y10.1007/s10853-018-2409-y ↗
22. Chen T, Liu SH, Zhang JW, Tan MN (2019) Study on the characteristics of GDL with different PTFE content and its effect on the performance of PEMFC. Int J Heat Mass Transf 128:1168–117410.1016/j.ijheatmasstransfer.2018.09.097 ↗
23. Wood DL, Rulison C, Borup RL (2010) Surface properties of PEMFC gas diffusion layers. J Electrochem Soc 157(2):195–20610.1149/1.3261850 ↗
24. Omrani R, Shabani B (2019) Review of gas diffusion layer for proton exchange membrane-based technologies with a focus on unitized regenerative fuel cells. Int J Hydrogen Energy 44(7):3834–386010.1016/j.ijhydene.2018.12.120 ↗
25. Wong AKC, Banerjee R, Bazylak A (2019) Tuning MPL intrusion to increase oxygen transport in dry and partially saturated polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell gas diffusion layers. J Electrochem Soc 166(7):F3009–F301910.1149/2.0021907jes ↗
26. Pasaogullari U, Wang CY (2004) Two-phase transport and the role of micro-porous layer in polymer electrolyte fuel cells. Electrochim Acta 49(25):4359–436910.1016/j.electacta.2004.04.027 ↗
27. Chang WR, Hwang JJ, Weng FB, Chan SH (2007) Effect of clamping pressure on the performance of a PEM fuel cell. J Power Sources 166(1):149–15410.1016/j.jpowsour.2007.01.015 ↗