Cathodes PEMFC

There exist a variety of fuel cells. For practical reasons, fuel cells are classified by the type of electrolyte employed. The following names and abbreviations are frequently used in publications alkaline fuel cells (AFC), molten carbonate fuel cells (MCFC), phosphoric acid fuel cells (PAFC), solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC), and proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC). Among different types of fuel cells under development today, the PEMFC, also called polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEFC), is considered as a potential future power source due to its unique characteristics [1-3]. The PEMFC consists of an anode where hydrogen oxidation takes place, a cathode where oxygen reduction occurs, and an electrolyte membrane that permits the transfer of protons from anode to cathode. PEMFC operates at low temperature that allows rapid start-up. Furthermore, with the absence of corrosive cell constituents, the use of the exotic materials required in other fuel cell types is not required [4]. 

Extensive studies on catalyst degradation in PEMFCs and phosphoric acid fuel cells (PAFCs) demonstrated that its cause can be attributed mainly to a loss of ECA in the cathode. PEMFCs and PAFCs use similar catalysts, although the degradation... 

Fig. 1. Performance evaluation of prepared electro-catalysts as an electrode of PEMFC. Cell temperature 70 C, active area 50cm, platinum loading anode(0.3mgPt/cm )/cathode(0.45mg Pt/cm ), fuel utilization H2/O2 = 80%/50%, RH 100% RFl, pressure H2/O2 = 0 psig/0 psig.

Therefore, one main drawback of the PEMFC configuration with a standard proton exchange membrane (such as Nafion) and a standard platinum gas diffusion cathode is the cathode depolarization caused by a mixed potential resulting from the methanol crossover through the mem-... 

Figure 13. Comparison of oxygen electrode performance in H2-02 PEMFC and DMFC ( ) potential of the H2-O2 PEMFC cathode, (o) potential of the DMFC cathode, (A) DMFC cell potential.

Paik CH, Jarvi TD, O Grady WE. 2004. Extent of PEMFC cathode surface oxidation by oxygen and water measured by CV. Electrochem Solid State Lett 7 A82-A84. 

PEMFC)/direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) cathode limit the available sites for reduction of molecular oxygen. Alternatively, at the anode of a PEMFC or DMFC, the oxidation of water is necessary to produce hydroxyl or oxygen species that participate in oxidation of strongly bound carbon monoxide species. Taylor and co-workers [Taylor et ah, 2007b] have recently reported on a systematic study that examined the potential dependence of water redox reactions over a series of different metal electrode surfaces. For comparison purposes, we will start with a brief discussion of electronic structure studies of water activity with consideration of UHV model systems. 

Potential cycling has been found to accelerate Pt dissolution compared with poten-tiostatic conditions. The dissolution mechanisms and dissolved species involved in this process are unclear [Johnson et al., 1970 Kinoshita et al., 1973 Ota et al., 1988 Rand and Woods, 1972]. Darling and Meyers have developed a mathematical model based on (9.5)-(9.7) to smdy Pt dissolution and movement in a PEMFC during potential cycling from 0.87 to 1.2 V [Darling and Meyers, 2003, 2005]. Severe Pt dissolution occurs when the potential switches to the upper limit potential (1.2 V), and then stops once a monolayer of PtO has formed. The charge difference between the anodic and cathodic cycles was found to be consistent with the amount... 

Solid alkaline membrane fuel cells (SAMECs) can be a good alternative to PEMFCs. The activation of the oxidation of alcohols and reduction of oxygen occurring in fuel cells is easier in alkaline media than in acid media [Wang et al., 2003 Yang, 2004]. Therefore, less Pt or even non-noble metals can be used owing to the improved electrode kinetics. Eor example, Ag/C catalytic powder can be used as an efficient cathode material [Demarconnay et al., 2004 Lamy et al., 2006]. It has also... 

For isolating the overpotential of the working electrode, it is common practice to admit hydrogen to the counter-electrode (the anode in a PEMFC the cathode in a direct methanol fuel cell, DMFC) and create a so-called dynamic reference electrode. Furthermore, the overpotential comprises losses associated with sluggish electrochemical kinetics, as well as a concentration polarization related to hindered mass transport ... 

Currently, few materials possess the necessary properties for use as a fuel cell electrode. Here are the live basic attributes that a PEMFC cathode must have for successful operation of the cell ... 

This survey focuses on recent developments in catalysts for phosphoric acid fuel cells (PAFC), proton-exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC), and the direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC). In PAFC, operating at 160-220°C, orthophosphoric acid is used as the electrolyte, the anode catalyst is Pt and the cathode can be a bimetallic system like Pt/Cr/Co. For this purpose, a bimetallic colloidal precursor of the composition Pt50Co30Cr20 (size 3.8 nm) was prepared by the co-reduction of the corresponding metal salts [184-186], From XRD analysis, the bimetallic particles were found alloyed in an ordered fct-structure. The elecbocatalytic performance in a standard half-cell was compared with an industrial standard catalyst (bimetallic crystallites of 5.7 nm size) manufactured by co-precipitation and subsequent annealing to 900°C. The advantage of the bimetallic colloid catalysts lies in its improved durability, which is essential for PAFC applicabons. After 22 h it was found that the potential had decayed by less than 10 mV [187],... 

The PEMFC (Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell) is a fuel cell with a protonconducting fluorinated polymer as electrolyte. Figure 14.12 gives a schematic drawing of the PEMFC. At the anode, hydrogen is oxidized to protons. At the cathode, oxygen from air is reduced to water. The PEMFC is in development for various applications. 

Fig. 14.14 Structural composition of a PEMFC electrode, specifically of a cathode.

Figure 14.13 displays the PEMFC and its components. The electrodes, where the catalytic reactions take place, have a complex structure, as is displayed in Fig. 14.14 for the cathode. Note that, although the reactants and products for the anode differ from those at the cathode, both electrodes have a similar structure. 

The stability of electrocatalysts for PEMFCs is increasingly a key topic as commercial applications become nearer. The DoE has set challenging near-term durability targets for fuel cell technology (automotive 5,000 h by 2010 stationary 40,000 h by 2011) and has detailed the contribution of the (cathode) catalyst to these. In particular, for automotive systems as well as steady-state stability, activity after simulated drive cycles and start-stop transients has been considered. In practice, both these treatments have been found to lead to severe degradation of the standard state-of-the-art Pt/C catalyst, as detailed next. 

Zhang, X., and Shi, P. Dual bonded catalyst layer structure cathode for PEMFC. Electrochemistry Communications 2006 8 1229-1234. 

The EOD coefficient, is the ratio of the water flux through the membrane to the proton flux in the absence of a water concentration gradient. As r/d,3g increases with increasing current density during PEMFC operation, the level of dehydration increases at the anode and normally exceeds the ability of the PEM to use back diffusion to the anode to achieve balanced water content in the membrane. In addition, accumulation of water at the cathode leads to flooding and concomitant mass transport losses in the PEMFC due to the reduced diffusion rate of O2 reaching the cathode. 

Figure 4.1 shows a schematic of a typical polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC). A typical membrane electrode assembly (MEA) consists of a proton exchange membrane that is in contact with a cathode catalyst layer (CL) on one side and an anode CL on the other side they are sandwiched together between two diffusion layers (DLs). These layers are usually treated (coated) with a hydrophobic agent such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) in order to improve the water removal within the DL and the fuel cell. It is also common to have a catalyst-backing layer or microporous layer (MPL) between the CL and DL. Usually, bipolar plates with flow field (FF) channels are located on each side of the MFA in order to transport reactants to the... 

Similar metal sheets have also been used as DLs in the cathode of PEMFCs. Wilkinson et al. [37,38] presented the idea of using fluid distribution layers made out of metal meshes with electrically conductive fillers inside the holes of the meshes. A very similar idea was also presented by Fiamada and Nakato [39]. Eosfeld and Eleven [40] presented another example of fuel cells that use metal meshes as diffusion layers along with metal FF plates. 

The second foil showed better performance due to more effective transport of gas and liquid within the DL. In fact, when compared to a CC (ELAT with MPL), this second DL did better, especially at dry conditions. Once the cell temperature was increased from room temperature to 80°C, the difference between the CC and the graphite foil DL was not as obvious. In another study, an expanded graphite foil (100% graphite) was used with an MPL on top of one of its surfaces as the cathode DL in a cylindrical PEMFC [66,67]. 

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