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Nano Research 2023, 16(1): 377-390 https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-022-4642-6
Review Article | Issue | Published: 09 August 2022

A perspective on influences of cathode material degradation on oxygen transport resistance in low Pt PEMFC

Show Author's Information Huiyuan Li1,  Xiaojing Cheng1,  Xiaohui Yan1,  Shuiyun Shen1( ),  Junliang Zhang1,2( )
Institute of Fuel Cells, School of Mechanical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
MOE Key Laboratory of Power & Machinery Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
Keywords:
degradation, proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC), oxygen transport resistance, cathode catalyst layer, gas diffusion layer
Topics:
Fuel cells
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Li H, Cheng X, Yan X, et al. A perspective on influences of cathode material degradation on oxygen transport resistance in low Pt PEMFC. Nano Research, 2023, 16(1): 377-390. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-022-4642-6
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Abstract Full text About this article

A large-scale industrial application of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) greatly depends on both substantial cost reduction and continuous durability enhancement. However, compared to effects of material degradation on apparent activity loss, little attention has been paid to influences on the phenomena of mass transport. In this review, influences of the degradation of key materials in membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) on oxygen transport resistance in both cathode catalyst layers (CCLs) and gas diffusion layers (GDLs) are comprehensively explored, including carbon support, electrocatalyst, ionomer in CCLs as well as carbon material and hydrophobic polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) in GDLs. It is analyzed that carbon corrosion in CCLs will result in pore structure destruction and impact ionomer distribution, thus affecting both the bulk and local oxygen transport behavior. Considering the catalyst degradation, an eventual decrease in electrochemical active surface area (ECSA) definitely increases the local oxygen transport resistance since a decrease in active sites will lead to a longer oxygen transport path. It is also noted that problems concerning oxygen transport caused by the degradation of ionomer chemical structure in CCLs should not be ignored. Both cation contamination and chemical decomposition will change the structure of ionomer, thus worsening the local oxygen transport. Finally, it is found that the loss of carbon and PTFE in GDLs lead to a higher hydrophilicity, which is related to an occurrence of water flooding and increase in the oxygen transport resistance.


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About this article

A perspective on influences of cathode material degradation on oxygen transport resistance in low Pt PEMFC

Show Author's information Huiyuan Li1, Xiaojing Cheng1, Xiaohui Yan1, Shuiyun Shen1( ), Junliang Zhang1,2( )
Institute of Fuel Cells, School of Mechanical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
MOE Key Laboratory of Power & Machinery Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China

Abstract

A large-scale industrial application of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) greatly depends on both substantial cost reduction and continuous durability enhancement. However, compared to effects of material degradation on apparent activity loss, little attention has been paid to influences on the phenomena of mass transport. In this review, influences of the degradation of key materials in membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) on oxygen transport resistance in both cathode catalyst layers (CCLs) and gas diffusion layers (GDLs) are comprehensively explored, including carbon support, electrocatalyst, ionomer in CCLs as well as carbon material and hydrophobic polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) in GDLs. It is analyzed that carbon corrosion in CCLs will result in pore structure destruction and impact ionomer distribution, thus affecting both the bulk and local oxygen transport behavior. Considering the catalyst degradation, an eventual decrease in electrochemical active surface area (ECSA) definitely increases the local oxygen transport resistance since a decrease in active sites will lead to a longer oxygen transport path. It is also noted that problems concerning oxygen transport caused by the degradation of ionomer chemical structure in CCLs should not be ignored. Both cation contamination and chemical decomposition will change the structure of ionomer, thus worsening the local oxygen transport. Finally, it is found that the loss of carbon and PTFE in GDLs lead to a higher hydrophilicity, which is related to an occurrence of water flooding and increase in the oxygen transport resistance.

Keywords: degradation, proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC), oxygen transport resistance, cathode catalyst layer, gas diffusion layer

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Publication history
Copyright
Acknowledgements

Publication history

Received: 27 April 2022
Revised: 30 May 2022
Accepted: 08 June 2022
Published: 09 August 2022
Issue date: January 2023

Copyright

© Tsinghua University Press 2022

Acknowledgements

Acknowledgements

This study was supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (No. 2021YFB4001303) and the Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality (No. 21DZ1208601)

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