High-Performance and Durable Membrane Electrode Assemblies for High-Temperature Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells

Membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) with gas diffusion electrodes (GDEs) fabricated by various catalyst layer (CL) deposit technologies were investigated for the application of high-temperature polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (HT-PEMFC). The physical properties of the GDEs were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and pore size distribution. The electrochemical properties were evaluated and analyzed by polarization curve, Tafel equation, electrochemistry impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and cyclic voltammetry (CV). The results showed that the electrodes prepared by ultrasonic spraying and automatic catalyst spraying under irradiation (ACSUI) methods have superior CL structure and high electrochemistry activity, resulting in high fuel cell performances. Durability tests revealed the feasibility of the electrodes for long-term HT-PEMFC operation.

[1]  B. Pollet,et al.  Effect of Platinum Distribution in Dual Catalyst Layer Structured Gas Diffusion Electrode on the Performance of High Temperature PEMFC , 2014 .

[2]  Pablo Cañizares,et al.  Study of the influence of the amount of PBI–H3PO4 in the catalytic layer of a high temperature PEMFC , 2010 .

[3]  Sivakumar Pasupathi,et al.  Hydrogen South Africa (HySA) Systems Competence Centre: Mission, objectives, technological achievements and breakthroughs , 2014 .

[4]  Brian C. Benicewicz,et al.  Durability Studies of PBI‐based High Temperature PEMFCs , 2008 .

[5]  Yuka Oono,et al.  Prolongation of lifetime of high temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cells , 2013 .

[6]  T. Berning,et al.  Polymer electrolyte fuel cells based on phosphoric acid doped polybenzimidazole (PBI) membranes , 2007 .

[7]  Thomas J. Schmidt,et al.  Properties of high-temperature PEFC Celtec®-P 1000 MEAs in start/stop operation mode , 2008 .

[8]  Ronghuan He,et al.  PBI‐Based Polymer Membranes for High Temperature Fuel Cells – Preparation, Characterization and Fuel Cell Demonstration , 2004 .

[9]  H. Gasteiger,et al.  Activity benchmarks and requirements for Pt, Pt-alloy, and non-Pt oxygen reduction catalysts for PEMFCs , 2005 .

[10]  T. Lim,et al.  Dependence of the performance of a high-temperature polymer electrolyte fuel cell on phosphoric acid-doped polybenzimidazole ionomer content in cathode catalyst layer , 2007 .

[11]  Ronghuan He,et al.  Preparation and operation of gas diffusion electrodes for high-temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cells , 2007 .

[12]  Sung-Chul Yi,et al.  Optimal catalyst layer structure of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell , 2011 .

[13]  Yanghua Tang,et al.  Polybenzimidazole-membrane-based PEM fuel cell in the temperature range of 120–200 °C , 2007 .

[14]  Y. Oono,et al.  Long-term cell degradation mechanism in high-temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cells , 2012 .

[15]  P. Cañizares,et al.  Optimisation of the Microporous Layer for a Polybenzimidazole‐Based High Temperature PEMFC – Effect of Carbon Content , 2010 .

[16]  Werner Lehnert,et al.  Membrane electrode assemblies for high-temperature polymer electrolyte fuel cells based on poly(2,5-benzimidazole) membranes with phosphoric acid impregnation via the catalyst layers , 2009 .

[17]  Y. Oono,et al.  Influence of operating temperature on cell performance and endurance of high temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cells , 2010 .

[18]  K. Scott,et al.  An investigation of Pt alloy oxygen reduction catalysts in phosphoric acid doped PBI fuel cells , 2011 .

[19]  Jon G. Pharoah,et al.  Electrochemical Activity and Catalyst Utilization of Low Pt and Thickness Controlled Membrane Electrode Assemblies , 2011 .

[20]  A. D. Modestov,et al.  Influence of Catalyst Layer Binder on Catalyst Utilization and Performance of Fuel Cell with Polybenzimidazole- H3PO4 Membrane , 2009 .

[21]  Pedro Gómez-Romero,et al.  Recent Developments on Proton Conduc‐ting Poly(2,5‐benzimidazole) (ABPBI) Membranes for High Temperature Poly‐mer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells , 2005 .

[22]  Robert F. Savinell,et al.  High temperature proton exchange membranes based on polybenzimidazoles for fuel cells , 2009 .

[23]  G. Jung,et al.  Membrane electrode assemblies doped with H3PO4 for high temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cells , 2012 .

[24]  M. Rodrigo,et al.  Effect of the catalytic ink preparation method on the performance of high temperature polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells , 2006 .

[25]  B. Pollet,et al.  A novel dual catalyst layer structured gas diffusion electrode for enhanced performance of high temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cell , 2014 .

[26]  Tae-won Song,et al.  Investigation of degradation mechanisms of a high-temperature polymer-electrolyte-membrane fuel cell stack by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy , 2012 .

[27]  G. Alberti,et al.  Composite Membranes for Medium-Temperature PEM Fuel Cells , 2003 .

[28]  K. Bouzek,et al.  Gas diffusion electrodes for high temperature PEM-type fuel cells: role of a polymer binder and method of the catalyst layer deposition , 2011 .

[29]  B. Pollet,et al.  Optimization of gas diffusion electrode for polybenzimidazole-based high temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cell: Evaluation of polymer binders in catalyst layer , 2013 .

[30]  W. Yan,et al.  Single-step fabrication of ABPBI-based GDE and study of its MEA characteristics for high-temperature PEM fuel cells , 2010 .

[31]  Jian Colin Sun,et al.  AC impedance technique in PEM fuel cell diagnosis—A review , 2007 .

[32]  P. Jannasch Recent developments in high-temperature proton conducting polymer electrolyte membranes , 2003 .

[33]  Hongtan Liu,et al.  The effects of excess phosphoric acid in a Polybenzimidazole-based high temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cell , 2010 .

[34]  Torsten Berning,et al.  Improving the performance of high-temperature PEM fuel cells based on PBI electrolyte , 2006 .

[35]  K. Scott,et al.  The effect of electrode parameters on performance of a phosphoric acid-doped PBI membrane fuel cell , 2010 .

[36]  B. Pollet,et al.  Optimisation of electrophoretic deposition parameters for gas diffusion electrodes in high temperature polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells , 2013 .

[37]  Pedro Gómez-Romero,et al.  Proton-Conducting Membranes Based on Benzimidazole Polymers for High-Temperature PEM Fuel Cells. A Chemical Quest , 2010 .

[38]  Bruno G. Pollet,et al.  A novel method for preparing proton exchange membrane fuel cell electrodes by the ultrasonic-spray technique , 2011 .

[39]  Keith Scott,et al.  Phosphoric acid‐doped electrodes for a PBI polymer membrane fuel cell , 2011 .

[40]  S. Rowshanzamir,et al.  Review of the proton exchange membranes for fuel cell applications , 2010 .

[41]  Pedro Gómez-Romero,et al.  Proton-conducting membranes based on benzimidazole polymers for high-temperature PEM fuel cells. A chemical quest. , 2010, Chemical Society reviews.

[42]  B. Pollet,et al.  Performance Investigation of Membrane Electrode Assemblies for High Temperature Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell , 2013 .

[43]  B. Rambabu,et al.  Platinum/tin oxide/carbon cathode catalyst for high temperature PEM fuel cell , 2010 .

[44]  John P. Kopasz,et al.  The United States Department of Energy's high temperature, low relative humidity membrane program , 2007 .

[45]  Tae-Hee Lee,et al.  A study on the characteristics of the diffusion layer thickness and porosity of the PEMFC , 2004 .

[46]  Nam Hoon Kim,et al.  Polymer membranes for high temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cell : recent advances and challenges , 2011 .

[47]  B. Pollet,et al.  Enhanced performance of polybenzimidazole-based high temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cell with gas diffusion electrodes prepared by automatic catalyst spraying under irradiation technique , 2013 .

[48]  P. Cañizares,et al.  Testing PtRu/CNF catalysts for a high temperature polybenzimidazole-based direct ethanol fuel cell. Effect of metal content , 2011 .

[49]  Bruno G. Pollet,et al.  Mission and objectives of the Hydrogen South Africa (HySA) Systems Competence Centre , 2013 .

[50]  E. Gonzalez,et al.  Effects of phosphoric acid concentration on oxygen reduction kinetics at platinum , 1984 .

[51]  V. Antonucci,et al.  Surface Properties of Pt and PtCo Electrocatalysts and Their Influence on the Performance and Degradation of High-Temperature Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells , 2010 .