Gas transport resistance of hydrocarbon-based catalyst layers in proton-exchange membrane fuel cells

Abstract: Recent developments in hydrocarbon-based proton exchange membrane fuel cells have significantly narrowed the performance gap compared to state-of-the-art cells using perfluorosulfonic acid ionomers (PFSA). However, balancing protonic resistance and gas transport resistance in the catalyst layer remains a challenge at low humidity. This study investigates gas transport resistance and its components in sulfonated phenylated polyphenylene-based catalyst layers using various limiting current methods. Results show that increasing the dry ionomer to carbon (I/C) ratio from 0.2 to 0.4, a measure to catch up with protonic resistance of PFSA-based catalyst layers, significantly increases gas transport resistance in the cathode catalyst layer by 28 %. The data suggest a strong correlation between local gas transport resistance and IEC. A high IEC is beneficial for the gas transport through the ionomer film. However, at low ionomer volume fractions the local gas transport resistance is dominated by the I/C independent interfacial resistance. Furthermore, a low IEC hydrocarbon ionomer, such as Pemion® PP1-HNN4–00-X (IEC = 2.5 meq g−1), not only exhibits a beneficial interfacial resistance, but also suppresses excessive ionomer swelling, which typically occurs during operating conditions where liquid water is forming

Angaben zum Objekt

• Standort: Deutsche Nationalbibliothek Frankfurt am Main
• Umfang: Online-Ressource
• Sprache: Englisch
• Anmerkungen: Journal of the Electrochemical Society. - 171, 5 (2024) , 054509, ISSN: 1945-7111

Klassifikation und Themen

• Klassifikation: Elektrotechnik, Elektronik

Beteiligte, Orts- und Zeitangaben

• Ereignis: Veröffentlichung
• (wo): Freiburg
• (wer): Universität
• (wann): 2024
• Urheber: Liepold, Hannes ; Nguyen, Hien ; Heizmann, Philipp A. ; Klose, Carolin ; Cruz Ortiz, Edgar ; Münchinger, Andreas

Weitere Informationen

• DOI: 10.1149/1945-7111/ad44db
• URN: urn:nbn:de:bsz:25-freidok-2488999
• Rechteinformation: Open Access; Der Zugriff auf das Objekt ist unbeschränkt möglich.
• Letzte Aktualisierung: 14.08.2025, 11:01 MESZ