Membrane electrodes assembly

The main impedance in a fuel cell is due to its MEA. Although some resistance exists between the bipolar plates and the MEA, the resistance is mainly electric and effectively negligible. 

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Research Solutions and Resources LLC (2009) The constant phase element (CPE). http //www.consultrsr.com/resources/eis/cpel.htm. Accessed 19 May 2009. 

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Meng H, Wang C (2004) Electron transport in PEFCs. J Electrochem Soc 151 A358-67 

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The concept of the reversed fuel cell, as shown schematically, consists of two parts. One is the already discussed direct oxidation fuel cell. The other consists of an electrochemical cell consisting of a membrane electrode assembly where the anode comprises Pt/C (or related) catalysts and the cathode, various metal catalysts on carbon. The membrane used is the new proton-conducting PEM-type membrane we developed, which minimizes crossover. 

For membrane electrode assembly, the development of a Pt-Ru anode working in the presence of CO is a key point. 

The catalytic-electrocatalytic reactor consists of a membrane electrode assembly, such as Pt-black/Nafion/Pd/C sandwiched between sheets of porous carbon cloth, housed in a fuel cell assembly. 

Sol-gel techniques have been successfidly applied to form fuel cell components with enhanced microstructures for high-temperature fuel cells. The apphcations were recently extended to synthesis of hybrid electrolyte for PEMFC. Although die results look promising, the sol-gel processing needs further development to deposit micro-structured materials in a selective area such as the triple-phase boundary of a fuel cell. That is, in the case of PEMFC, the sol-gel techniques need to be expanded to form membrane-electrode-assembly with improved microstructures in addition to the synthesis of hybrid membranes to get higher fuel cell performance. 

This presentation reports some studies on the materials and catalysis for solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) in the author s laboratory and tries to offer some thoughts on related problems. The basic materials of SOFC are cathode, electrolyte, and anode materials, which are composed to form the membrane-electrode assembly, which then forms the unit cell for test. The cathode material is most important in the sense that most polarization is within the cathode layer. The electrolyte membrane should be as thin as possible and also posses as high an oxygen-ion conductivity as possible. The anode material should be able to deal with the carbon deposition problem especially when methane is used as the fuel. 

The slurries of electro-catalysts were prepared by mixing together the catalysts and appropriate amount of 5wt % Nafion solution(Du Pont) including some kinds of dispersant[8]. The electrodes were made by spraying method with these well mixed inks. Two electrodes and Nafion 112 membrane were hot pressed with the condition of 50kgf/cm, 120°C for 3min to fabricate MEAs(Membrane Electrode Assembly). 

Although ORR catalysts for DMFCs are mostly identical to those for the PEM fuel cell, one additional and serious drawback in the DMFC case is the methanol crossover from the anode to the cathode compartment of the membrane electrode assembly, giving rise to simultaneous methanol oxidation at the cathode. The... 

Recent studies (in the 1990s) focused on the optimization of structures and compositions of electrodes, membranes, and membrane electrode assemblies (MEA) and of operating conditions. The major accomplishments in these areas are summarized as follows ... 

In the design of membrane-type fuel cell stacks (batteries), membrane-electrode assemblies (MEAs) are used, which consist of a sheet of membrane and of the two electrodes (positive and negative) pressed onto it from either side. 

In the membrane-electrode assembly (MEA a membrane squeezed in between two electrodes), mechanical forces are applied. 

Figure 9.23 Schematic representation of the various electrochemical and chemical reactions occurring in a membrane electrode assembly and the concentration gradients of O2, H2, and Pt ions. The location where the local O2 molar flux equals one-half of the local H2 molar flux is marked by 5pt. (Reproduced with permission from Zhang J et al. [2007a].)...

Xie J, Wood DL, More KL, Atanassov P, Borup RL. 2005a. Microstructural changes of membrane electrode assemblies during PEFC durability testing at high humidity conditions. J Electrochem Soc 152 A1011-A1020. 

Yasuda K, Taniguchi A, Akita T, loroi T, Siroma Z. 2006a. Characteristics of a platinum black catalyst layer with regard to platinum dissolution phenomena in a membrane electrode assembly. J Electrochem Soc 153 A1599-A1603. 

Sanicharane S, Bo A, Sompalli B, Gurau B, Smotkin ES. 2002. In-situ 50 °C ETIR spectroscopy of Pt and PtRu direct methanol fuel cell membrane electrode assembly anodes. J Electrochem Soc 149 A554-A557. 

In PEMFCs, the membrane electrode assembly (MEA, Eig. 15.2a) is a multilayer sandwich composed of catalytic layers (CLs) where electrochemical reactions take place, gas-diffusion media providing access of gases to the CLs, and a proton exchange membrane (PEM) such as Nafion . The CL is a multiphase multicomponent medium comprising ... 

Figure 15.2 Schematic representation of different electrochemical cell types used in studies of electrocatalytic reactions (a) proton exchange membrane single cell, comprising a membrane electrode assembly (b) electrochemical cell with a gas diffusion electrode (c) electrochemical cell with a thin-layer working electrode (d) electrochemical cell with a model nonporous electrode. CE, counter-electrode RE, reference electrode WE, working electrode.

Hudak NS, Barton SC. 2005. Mediated biocatal3dic cathode for direct methanol membrane-electrode assemblies. J Electrochem Soc 152 A876-A881. 

Cost targets exist for all parts of the fuel cell for bipolar plates, from 10/kW (2004) to 3/kW in 2015 for electrocatalysts, from 40/kW (2005) to 3/kW in 2015 and for membrane electrode assemblies (MEA), from 50/kW (2005) to 5/kW in 2015 (Freedom Car, 2005 these cost targets are somewhat different from those mentioned by the IEA (2005)). Since 2004, the number of fuel-cell cars has been growing and at the time of writing they numbered approximately 1000 worldwide there are also around 100 fuel-cell buses in use worldwide in several demonstration projects. But these cars are produced as individual (hand-built) models and are extremely expensive, with production costs per vehicle currently estimated at around one million large-scale production is not expected before 2015, see Section 13.1. 

These selection and evaluation criteria were applied systematically to four technological fields, three of which contribute to new energy-efficient solutions. Passive houses, for example, with their major components of insulation solutions, window systems, ventilation and control techniques are close to market diffusion within the next ten years. Fuel cells for mobile uses in vehicles, however, are still a long way from market introduction, for instance, because of unresolved problems regarding the deactivation of the membrane electrode assembly (MEA) and the need for cost reductions by about one order of magnitude. Other types of fuel cells for stationary uses may be closer to market introduction, owing to less severe technical bottlenecks and better economic competitiveness. 

The function of the electrolyte membrane is to facilitate transport of protons from anode to cathode and to serve as an effective barrier to reactant crossover. The electrodes host the electrochemical reactions within the catalyst layer and provide electronic conductivity, and pathways for reactant supply to the catalyst and removal of products from the catalyst [96], The GDL is a carbon paper of 0.2 0.5 mm thickness that provides rigidity and support to the membrane electrode assembly (MEA). It incorporates hydrophobic material that facilitates the product water drainage and prevents... 

R. X. Liu, and E. S. Smotkin, Array membrane electrode assemblies for high throughput screening of direct methanol fuel cell anode catalysts, J. Electroanal. Chem. 535, 49-55 (2002). 

The membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs), in which the cathode was a commercial Pt/C catalyst (20 wt.%) with a Pt loading of 1.0 mg/cm, were fabricated by... 

Figure 2.1 shows a schematic structure of the fuel cell membrane electrode assembly (MEA), including both anode and cathode sides. Each side includes a catalyst layer and a gas diffusion layer. Between the two sides is a proton exchange membrane (PEM) conducting protons from the anode to the cathode. 

Schematic structure of a fuel ceU membrane electrode assembly (MEA), including both anode and cathode catalyst layers. (Based on Lister. S. and McLean, G. Journal of Power Sources 2004 130 61-76. With permission from Elsevier.)...

Cyclic voltammogram recorded for the cathode of a membrane electrode assembly with a cathode Pt loading of 0.4 mg/cm in a fuel cell operated at 80°C and 100% RH. Cathode Nj anode Hj scan rate 50 mV/s. (Unpublished data from the authors.)... 

Bose, A. B., Shaik, R., and Mawdsley, J. Optimization of the performance of polymer electrolyte fuel cell membrane electrode assemblies Roles of curing parameters on the catalyst and ionomer structures and morphology. Journal of Power Sources 2008 182 61-65. 

Kraemer, S. V., Lindbergh, G., Lafitte, B., Puchner, M., andJannasch, P. Substitution of Nafion with sulfonated polysulfone in membrane-electrode assembly components for 60-120°C PEMFC operation. Journal of the Electrochemical Society 2008 155 B1001-B1007. 

Bender, G., Zawodzinski, T. A., and Saab, A. P. Fabrication of high-precision PEFG membrane electrode assemblies. Journal of Power Sources 2003 124 114—117. Ihm, J. W., Ryu, H., Bae, J. S., Ghoo, W. K., and Ghoi, D. K. High performance of electrode with low Pt loading prepared by simplified direct screen printing process in PEM fuel cells. Journal of Materials Science 2004 39 4647--4649. 

Kim, C. S., Ghun, Y. G., Peck, D. H., and Shin, D. R. A novel process to fabricate membrane electrode assemblies for proton exchange membrane fuel cells. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy 1998 23 1045-1048. 

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