Polymer electrolyte fuel cells degradation

F.-Y. Zhang, S.G. Advani, A.K. Prasad, Advanced high resolution characterization techniques for degradation studies in fuel cells, in M.M. Mench, E.C. Kumbur, T.N. Vezirogju (Eds.), Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cell Degradation, Academic Press,... 

Kocha SS (2012) Electrochemical degradation electrocatalyst and support durability. In Kumbur EC, Veziroglu TN, Mench MM (eds) Polymer electrolyte fuel cell degradation. Academic, New York... 

Bomp R, Meyers J, KvovarB, Kim YS, Mukundan R, Garland N, Myers D, Wilson M, GarzonF, Wood D, Zelenay P, Mote K, Stroh K, Zawodzinski T, Boncella J, McGrath JE, Inaba M, Miyatake K, Hori M, Ota K, Ogumi Z, Miyata S, Nishikata A, Siroma Z, Uchimoto Y, Yasuda K, Kimijima Ki, Iwashita N. 2007. Scientific aspects of polymer electrolyte fuel cell durability and degradation. Chem Rev 107 3904-3951. 

This volume of Modern Aspects of Electrochemistry is intended to provide an overview of advancements in experimental diagnostics and modeling of polymer electrolyte fuel cells. Chapters by Huang and Reifsnider and Gu et al. provide an in-depth review of the durability issues in PEFCs as well as recent developments in understanding and mitigation of degradation in the polymer membrane and electrocatalyst. 

Abstract This article outlines some history of and recent progress in perfluorinated membranes for polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFCs). The structure, properties, synthesis, degradation problems, technology for high temperature membranes, reinforcement technology, and characterization methods of perfluorosulfonic acid (PFSA) membranes are reviewed. 

The main problem in elevated-temperature-polymer electrolyte fuel cell operation is degradation of the membrane at the higher temperature. Marked water loss raises the ohmic resistance of the membrane, causes brittleness, and may give rise to crack formation. For this reason, most polymer electrolyte fuel cells research at present addresses the question of how to maintain the membrane in good working condition in an elevated-temperature-polymer electrolyte fuel cell. 

Inaba M, Kinumoto T, Kiriake M, Umebayashi R, Tasaka A, Ogumi Z (2006) Gas crossover and membrane degradation in polymer electrolyte fuel cells. Electrochim Acta 51 5746-5753... 

Aoki T, Matsunaga A, Ogami Y, Maekawa A, Mitsushima S, Ota KI and Nishikawa H (2010),The influence of polymer electrolyte fuel cell cathode degradation on the electrode polarization, Journal of Power Sources, 195,2182-2188. 

Aric6 A S, Stassi A, Modica E, Ornelas R, Gatto I, Passalacqua E and Antonucci V (2008), Performance and degradation of high temperature polymer electrolyte fuel cell catalysts. Journal of Power Sources, 178,525-536. 

Inaba M, Sugishita M, Wada J, Matsuzawa K, Yamada H and Tasaka A (2008), Impacts of air bleeding on membrane degradation in polymer electrolyte fuel cells. Journal of Power Sources, 178,699-705. 

Matsuoka K, Sakamoto S, Nakato K, Hamada A and Itoh Y (2008), Degradation of polymer electrolyte fuel cells under the existence of anion spedes. Journal of Power Sources, 179,560-565. 

Trogadas P, Ramani V (2008) Pt/C-WOs electrocatalysts for degradation mitigation in polymer electrolyte fuel cells. J Electrochem Soc 155(7) B696-B703... 

Borup R et al (2007) Scientific aspects of polymer electrolyte fuel cell durability and degradation. ChemRev 107(10) 3904-3951... 

Schmidt, T.J. (2006) Durability and degradation in high-temperature polymer electrolyte fuel cells. ECS Trans., 1 (8), 19-31. 

Ogumi, Z., Miyata, S., Nishikata, A., Siroma, Z., Uchimoto, Y., Yasuda, K., Kimijima, K.-l., and Iwashita, N. (2007) Scientific aspects of polymer electrolyte fuel cell durability and degradation. Chem. Rev., 107, 3904-3951. 

Kobayashi, M., Hidai, S., Niwa, H., Harada, Y., Oshima, M., Horikawa, Y., Tokushima, T., Shin, S., Nakamori, Y., and Aoki, T. (2009) Co oxidation accompanied by degradation of Pt-Co alloy cathode catalysts in polymer electrolyte fuel cells. Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 11, 8226-8230. 

Hartnig C, Schmidt TJ (2011) On a new degradation mode for high-temperature polymer electrolyte fuel cells how bipolar plate degradation affects cell performance. Electrochim Acta 56(ll) 4237-4242... 

Platinum-Based Cathode Catalysts for Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells, Fig. 6 Standard TEM images (a, b) and tomography images (c, d) of the same catalyst location after 0 (a, c) and 3,600 (b, d) degradation cycles between 0.4 and 1.4 VRHE with a scan rate of 1 V s (Ref [33])... 

Liu H, Corns FD, Zhang J, Gasteiger HA, LaConti AB (2009) Chemical degradation correlations between electrolyzer and fuel cell findings. In Blichi EN, Inaba M, Schmidt TJ (eds) Polymer electrolyte fuel cell durability. Springer, New York, pp 71-118... 

---