CF4 plasma treatment for preparing gas diffusion layers in membrane electrode assemblies

2006 ◽  
Vol 161 (1) ◽  
pp. 275-281 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yi-Hao Pai ◽  
Jyh-Harng Ke ◽  
Hsin-Fu Huang ◽  
Chih-Ming Lee ◽  
Jyh-Myng Zen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Plasma Treatment ◽  
Gas Diffusion ◽  
Membrane Electrode ◽  
Gas Diffusion Layers ◽  
Diffusion Layers ◽  
Membrane Electrode Assemblies ◽  
Electrode Assemblies

Development of Production Technology for Membrane-Electrode Assemblies With Radical Capturing Layer

2013 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Toshiro Kobayashi ◽  
Etsuro Hirai ◽  
Hideki Itou ◽  
Takuya Moriga
Keyword(s):  
Production Technology ◽  
Mass Production ◽  
Catalyst Layer ◽  
Gas Diffusion ◽  
Membrane Electrode ◽  
Continuous Formation ◽  
Forming Technology ◽  
Membrane Electrode Assemblies ◽  
Electrode Assemblies ◽  
Opening Ratio

This paper describes the development of mass-production technology for membrane-electrode assemblies (MEA) with a radical capturing layer and verifies its performance. Some of the authors of this paper previously developed an MEA with a radical capturing layer along the boundaries between the electrode catalyst layer and the polymer membrane to realize an endurance time of 20,000 h in accelerated daily start and daily stop (DSS) deterioration tests. Commercialization of these MEAs requires a production technology that suits mass production lines and provides reasonable cost performance. After developing a water-based slurry and selecting a gas diffusion layer (GDL), a catalyst layer forming technology uses a rotary screen method for electrode formation. Studies confirmed continuous formation of the catalyst layer, obtaining an anode/cathode thickness of 55 μm (+10/−20)/50 μm (+10/−20) by optimizing the opening ratio and thickness of the screen plate. A layer-forming technology developed for the radical capturing layer uses a two-fluid spraying method. Continuous formation of an 8 μm thick (±3 μm) radical capturing layer proved feasible by determining the appropriate slurry viscosity, spray head selection, and optimization of spraying conditions.

Ex Situ Characterization Method for Flooding in Gas Diffusion Layers and Membrane Electrode Assemblies With a Hydrophilic Gas Diffusion Layer

2015 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Toshihiro Tanuma
Keyword(s):  
Catalyst Layer ◽  
Membrane Electrode Assembly ◽  
Gas Diffusion ◽  
Dew Point ◽  
Water Flooding ◽  
Ex Situ ◽  
Membrane Electrode ◽  
Gas Diffusion Layers ◽  
Diffusion Layers ◽  
O2 Concentration

Proper water management is required for the operation of polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFCs), in order to maintain the critical balance between adequate membrane hydration and prevention of water flooding in the catalyst layer. In PEFCs, the membrane electrode assembly (MEA) is sandwiched between two gas diffusion layers (GDLs). In addition, a microporous layer (MPL) is generally applied to the GDL substrates for better water removal from the cathode catalyst layer. This paper is the first to report on an ex situ characterization method for water flooding in GDLs. As the humidity of O2 gas on the substrate side of the GDL was increased in incremental steps, O2 gas began to diffuse into the MPL side of the GDL. When the O2 relative humidity exceeded the dew point, water flooding was observed on the surface of the MPL and the O2 concentration dropped sharply because the O2 diffusion was suppressed by the produced liquid water. When comparing to the estimated mass transfer loss based on the actual polarization curves of an MEA using the GDL, it was found that the decrease in the O2 concentration on the MPL side of the GDL can be used as an index of water flooding in the PEFC.

Fabrication of High Precision PEMFC Membrane Electrode Assemblies by Sieve Printing Method

2009 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandre B. Andrade ◽  
Martha L. Mora Bejarano ◽  
Edgar F. Cunha ◽  
Eric Robalinho ◽  
Marcelo Linardi
Keyword(s):  
Hot Pressing ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
High Volume ◽  
Gas Diffusion ◽  
Proton Exchange ◽  
Membrane Electrode ◽  
Pressing Method ◽  
Membrane Electrode Assemblies ◽  
Electrode Assemblies ◽  
Printing Technique

A sieve printing technique has been developed for the preparation of gas diffusion electrodes for proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). The results of the preparation of membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) are shown to be faster and highly reproducible by using the sieve printing and hot pressing method. These results were compared with those obtained by spray and hot pressing method. The experiments were carried out in a 25 cm2 single PEM fuel cell with platinum loadings of 0.4 mg Pt cm−2 and 0.6 mg Pt cm−2 on the anode and cathode, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy analysis was used to investigate the electrodes’ morphology. The performance of the MEAs was measured by polarization curves. It was observed that the sieve printing technique is highly reproducible and significantly more accurate and faster than the spray one. Sieve printing technique can be easily scaled up and is very adequate for high volume production with low-cost. Such features allow manufacturing large active areas for power stack fabrication. In addition, this deposition technique has produced MEAs with a 39.8% higher power density at 0.6 V when compared with the spray one.

scholarly journals Performance of passive Direct Methanol Fuel Cell: modelling and experimental studies

2017 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 89-103 ◽  
Author(s):  
Beatriz A. Berns ◽  
Mariana F. Torres ◽  
Vânia B. Oliveira ◽  
Alexandra M. F. R. Pinto
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Direct Methanol Fuel Cell ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Gas Diffusion ◽  
Membrane Electrode ◽  
Membrane Area ◽  
Diffusion Layers ◽  
Electrode Assemblies ◽  
Direct Methanol ◽  
Methanol Fuel Cell

Low methanol and water crossover with high methanol concentrations are essential requirements for a passive Direct Methanol Fuel Cell (DMFC) to be used in portable applications. Therefore, it is extremely important to clearly understand and study the effect of the different operating and configuration parameters on the cell’s performance and both methanol and water crossover. In the present work, a detailed experimental study on the performance of an in-house developed passive DMFC with 25 cm2 of active membrane area is described. Tailored membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) with different structures and combinations of gas diffusion layers (GDL) and membranes, were tested in order to select optimal working conditions at high methanol concentration levels without sacrificing performance. The experimental polarization curves were successfully compared with the predictions of a steady state, one-dimensional model accounting for coupled heat and mass transfer, along with the electrochemical reactions occurring in the passive DMFC developed by the same authors.

scholarly journals An Investigation of the Compressive Behavior of Polymer Electrode Membrane Fuel Cell’s Gas Diffusion Layers under Different Temperatures

Polymers ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (9) ◽  
pp. 971 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yanqin Chen ◽  
Chao Jiang ◽  
Chongdu Cho
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cells ◽  
Diffusion Layer ◽  
Gas Diffusion Layer ◽  
Gas Diffusion ◽  
Membrane Electrode ◽  
Gas Diffusion Layers ◽  
Diffusion Layers ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Different Temperatures ◽  
Electrode Membrane

In this paper, a commercial gas diffusion layer is used, to quantitatively study the correlation between its compressive characteristics and its operating temperature. In polymer electrode membrane fuel cells, the gas diffusion layer plays a vital role in the membrane electrode assembly, over a wide range of operating temperatures. Therefore, understanding the thermo-mechanical performance of gas diffusion layers is crucial to design fuel cells. In this research, a series of compressive tests were conducted on a commercial gas diffusion layer, at three different temperatures. Additionally, a microscopical investigation was carried out with the help of a scanning electron microscope, to study the evolution and development of the microstructural damages in the gas diffusion layers which is caused by the thermo-mechanical load. From the obtained results, it could be concluded that the compressive stiffness of the commercial gas diffusion layer depends, to a great extent, on its operational temperature.

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