US EPA

616027 

Journal Article 

Effect of PTFE content in microporous layer on water management in PEM fuel cells 

Park, S; Lee, JW; Popov, BN 

2008 

Yes 

Journal of Power Sources
ISSN: 0378-7753 

177 

2 

457-463 

10.1016/j.jpowsour.2007.11.055 

WOS:000253873700026 

Abstract: The effect of hydrophobic agent (PTFE) concentration in the microporous layer on the PEM fuel cell performance was investigated using mercury porosimetry, water permeation experiment, and electrochemical polarization technique. The mercury porosimetry and water permeation experiments indicated that PTFE increases the resistance of the water flow through the GDL due to a decrease of the MPL porosity and an increase of the volume fraction of hydrophobic pores. When air was used as an oxidant, a maximum fuel cell performance was obtained for a PTFE loading of 20wt.%. The experimental polarization curves were quantitatively analyzed to determine the polarization resistances resulting from different physical and electrochemical processes in the PEM fuel cell. The polarization analysis indicated that the optimized PTFE content results in an effective water management (i.e., a balancing of water saturations in the catalyst layer and the gas diffusion layer), thereby improving the oxygen diffusion kinetics in the membrane-electrode assembly. [Copyright 2008 Elsevier] Copyright of Journal of Power Sources is the property of Elsevier Science Publishers B.V. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts) 

FUEL cells; HYDROPHOBIC surfaces; ELECTROCHEMICAL analysis; POROSITY