Effects of open-circuit operation on membrane and catalyst layer degradation in proton exchange membrane fuel cells
Copyright policy )Effects of open-circuit operation on membrane and catalyst layer degradation in proton exchange membrane fuel cells
Durability issues have been attracting a great deal of attention in hydrogen/air proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell research. In the present work, membrane electrode assembly (MEA) degradation under open circuit (OC) conditions was carried out for more than 250 h. By means of several on-line electrochemical measurements, the performance of the fuel cell was analysed at different times during the degradation process. The results indicate that structural changes in the PEM and catalyst layers (CLs) are the main reasons for the decline in performance during OC operation. The results also show that degradation due to platinum oxidation or catalyst contamination can be partially recovered by a subsequent potential cycling process, whereas the same cycling process cannot recover the membrane degradation.
- National Research Council Canada Canada
- National Research Council Canada Canada
- German Aerospace Center Germany
- National Research Council United States
- National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine United States
Catalyst layer, Open circuit voltage, Membrane, PEM fuel cell Membrane Catalyst layer Degradation Open-circuit operation Open circuit voltage, PEM fuel cell, Degradation, Open-circuit operation
Catalyst layer, Open circuit voltage, Membrane, PEM fuel cell Membrane Catalyst layer Degradation Open-circuit operation Open circuit voltage, PEM fuel cell, Degradation, Open-circuit operation
