Materials science for fuel cells

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 (3) ◽  
pp. 4-12
Author(s):  
O. D. Vasylyev ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cells ◽  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Structural Optimization ◽  
Proton Exchange Membrane ◽  
Materials Science ◽  
Proton Exchange ◽  
Porous Electrodes ◽  
Interaction Sites ◽  
Exchange Membrane

The words on fuel cells, especially joined with hydrogen, take more and more rooms in discussions on security, energy and ecology. The paper addresses questions concerning the structural optimization of electrolytes and electrodes applying both zirconia and proton exchange membrane. The final, optimized, chemical composition and structure of entire fuel cells would be tuned by considering the structural altering occurring during both production and long-term operation. The paper evidences undeniably that the structure of fuel cells, ceramic and polymeric ones, direct and reversible, require a deep detailed comparative study in states after both production and different time of operation. Respectively, a structural optimization of fuel cells to be related to all the complex of their properties that finally has to result in an improvement both properties themselves and their stabilization for a long term of usage is required. It is clear that up-to-date fuel cells cannot be considered more as some just chemical devices producing electricity. They have to be sointricately designed that each their atom is attached to each of its neighbors in such an optimal way in order to ensure the properties of whole the fuel cell as adevice, which produces useful energy in the best possible manner during rather long period of time. It means that from materials science point of view the structure of fuel cell must be optimized to meet a wide spectrum of requirements to cell as high temperature electrochemical device of a long-term of operation. Now, materials science concerning fuel cells is a study not only such the obvious topics as ionic or electronic conductivities, structure of dense electrolyte and both three phase porous electrodes, mechanical behavior of entire fuel cell device etc. The study of an influence of loading and gases delivery to their interaction sites on properties of entire energy system is obvious also. In general, the fuel cell technologies are rather mature already and they might be put into commercial production. Nevertheless, the opportunities for development are endless. 3D printing is imminent. Keywords: fuel cell; ceramic fuel cell; fuel cell based on proton exchange membrane; fuel cell electrolyte; fuel cell electrode; structural optimization; materials science for fuel cells.

scholarly journals A Comprehensive Review on Measurement and Correlation Development of Capillary Pressure for Two-Phase Modeling of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells

2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chao Si ◽  
Xiao-Dong Wang ◽  
Wei-Mon Yan ◽  
Tian-Hu Wang
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cells ◽  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Capillary Pressure ◽  
Proton Exchange Membrane ◽  
Pem Fuel Cell ◽  
Pem Fuel Cells ◽  
Proton Exchange ◽  
Porous Electrodes ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Exchange Membrane

Water transport and the corresponding water management strategy in proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells are quite critical for the improvement of the cell performance. Accuracy modeling of water transport in porous electrodes strongly depends on the appropriate constitutive relationship for capillary pressure which is referred to aspc-scorrelation, wherepcis the capillary pressure andsis the fraction of saturation in the pores. In the present PEM fuel cell two-phase models, the Leverett-Udellpc-scorrelation is widely utilized which is proposed based on fitting the experimental data for packed sands. However, the size and structure of pores for the commercial porous electrodes used in PEM fuel cells differ from those for the packed sands significantly. As a result, the Leverett-Udell correlation should be improper to characterize the two-phase transport in the porous electrodes. In the recent decade, many efforts were devoted to measuring the capillary pressure data and developing newpc-scorrelations. The objective of this review is to review the most significant developments in recent years concerning the capillary pressure measurements and the developedpc-scorrelations. It is expected that this review will be beneficial to develop the improved PEM fuel cell two-phase model.

Highly proton conductive membranes based on carboxylated cellulose nanofibres and their performance in proton exchange membrane fuel cells

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Valentina Guccini ◽  
Annika Carlson ◽  
Shun Yu ◽  
Göran Lindbergh ◽  
Rakel Wreland Lindström ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cells ◽  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Surface Charge ◽  
Proton Exchange Membrane ◽  
Membrane Surface ◽  
Proton Exchange ◽  
Membrane Thickness ◽  
Fuel Cell Performance ◽  
Cellulose Nanofibres ◽  
Exchange Membrane

The performance of thin carboxylated cellulose nanofiber-based (CNF) membranes as proton exchange membranes in fuel cells has been measured in-situ as a function of CNF surface charge density (600 and 1550 µmol g<sup>-1</sup>), counterion (H<sup>+</sup>or Na<sup>+</sup>), membrane thickness and fuel cell relative humidity (RH 55 to 95 %). The structural evolution of the membranes as a function of RH as measured by Small Angle X-ray scattering shows that water channels are formed only above 75 % RH. The amount of absorbed water was shown to depend on the membrane surface charge and counter ions (Na<sup>+</sup>or H<sup>+</sup>). The high affinity of CNF for water and the high aspect ratio of the nanofibers, together with a well-defined and homogenous membrane structure, ensures a proton conductivity exceeding 1 mS cm<sup>-1</sup>at 30 °C between 65 and 95 % RH. This is two orders of magnitude larger than previously reported values for cellulose materials and only one order of magnitude lower than Nafion 212. Moreover, the CNF membranes are characterized by a lower hydrogen crossover than Nafion, despite being ≈ 30 % thinner. Thanks to their environmental compatibility and promising fuel cell performance the CNF membranes should be considered for new generation proton exchange membrane fuel cells.<br>

Latest Trends and Challenges In Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC)

2017 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 96-105 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammed Jourdani ◽  
Hamid Mounir ◽  
Abdellatif El Marjani
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cells ◽  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Proton Exchange Membrane ◽  
Proton Exchange ◽  
Total Cost ◽  
Cell Efficiency ◽  
Technical Advances ◽  
Exchange Membrane

Background: During last few years, the proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) underwent a huge development. Method: The different contributions to the design, the material of all components and the efficiencies are analyzed. Result: Many technical advances are introduced to increase the PEMFC fuel cell efficiency and lifetime for transportation, stationary and portable utilization. Conclusion: By the last years, the total cost of this system is decreasing. However, the remaining challenges that need to be overcome mean that it will be several years before full commercialization can take place.This paper gives an overview of the recent advancements in the development of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel cells and remaining challenges of PEMFC.

Submicro-pore containing poly(ether sulfones)/polyvinylpyrrolidone membranes for high-temperature fuel cell applications

2015 ◽  
Vol 3 (16) ◽  
pp. 8847-8854 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhibin Guo ◽  
Ruijie Xiu ◽  
Shanfu Lu ◽  
Xin Xu ◽  
Shichun Yang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cells ◽  
High Temperature ◽  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Proton Exchange Membrane ◽  
Proton Exchange ◽  
Exchange Membrane

A novel submicro-pore containing proton exchange membrane is designed and fabricated for application in high-temperature fuel cells.

scholarly journals Comparative Study on the Effects of Three Membrane Modification Methods on the Performance of Microbial Fuel Cell

Energies ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 1383 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liping Fan ◽  
Junyi Shi ◽  
Tian Gao
Keyword(s):  
Power Generation ◽  
Fuel Cells ◽  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Microbial Fuel Cell ◽  
Water Purification ◽  
Microbial Fuel Cells ◽  
Proton Exchange Membrane ◽  
Proton Exchange ◽  
Generation Capacity ◽  
Exchange Membrane

Proton exchange membrane is an important factor affecting the power generation capacity and water purification effect of microbial fuel cells. The performance of microbial fuel cells can be improved by modifying the proton exchange membrane by some suitable method. Microbial fuel cells with membranes modified by SiO2/PVDF (polyvinylidene difluoride), sulfonated PVDF and polymerized MMA (methyl methacrylate) electrolyte were tested and their power generation capacity and water purification effect were compared. The experimental results show that the three membrane modification methods can improve the power generation capacity and water purification effect of microbial fuel cells to some extent. Among them, the microbial fuel cell with the polymerized MMA modified membrane showed the best performance, in which the output voltage was 39.52 mV, and the electricity production current density was 18.82 mA/m2, which was 2224% higher than that of microbial fuel cell with the conventional Nafion membrane; and the COD (chemical oxygen demand) removal rate was 54.8%, which was 72.9% higher than that of microbial fuel cell with the conventional Nafion membrane. Modifying the membrane with the polymerized MMA is a very effective way to improve the performance of microbial fuel cells.

(Invited) Modelling Electrochemical Cells with Porous Electrodes. The Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell

2019 ◽  
Vol 92 (8) ◽  
pp. 279-292 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marco Sauermoser ◽  
Giulio Fossati ◽  
Natalya Kizilova ◽  
Signe Kjelstrup
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Proton Exchange Membrane ◽  
Proton Exchange ◽  
Porous Electrodes ◽  
Electrochemical Cells ◽  
Exchange Membrane

A Numerical Investigation of Heat and Mass Transfer in Air-Cooled Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Torsten Berning
Keyword(s):  
Heat Transfer ◽  
Fuel Cells ◽  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Proton Exchange Membrane ◽  
Waste Heat ◽  
Proton Exchange ◽  
Fuel Cell Performance ◽  
Air Stream ◽  
Multi Phase ◽  
Exchange Membrane

Abstract A numerical analysis of an air-cooled proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) has been conducted. The model utilizes the Eulerian multi-phase approach to predict the occurrence and transport of liquid water inside the cell. It is assumed that all the waste heat must be carried out of the fuel cell with the excess air which leads to a strong temperature increase of the air stream. The results suggest that the performance of these fuel cells is limited by membrane overheating which is ultimately caused by the limited heat transfer to the laminar air stream. A proposed remedy is the placement of a turbulence grid before such a fuel cell stack to enhance the heat transfer and increase the fuel cell performance.

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