Polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell techniques

The SECM capacity for rapid screening of an array of catalyst spots makes it a valuable tool for studies of electrocatalysts. This technique was used to screen the arrays of bimetallic or trimetallic catalyst spots with different compositions on a GC support in search of inexpensive and efficient electrocatalytic materials for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFC) [126]. Each spot contained some binary or ternary combination of Pd, Au, Ag, and Co deposited on a glassy carbon substrate. The electrocatalytic activity of these materials for the ORR in acidic media (0.5 M H2S04) was examined using SECM in a rapidimaging mode. The SECM tip was scanned in the x—y plane over the substrate surface while electrogenerating 02 from H20 at constant current. By scanning... 

In the past two decades, fuel cells and in particular imi-exchange membranes have become a top priority topic in material research. Fuel cells are seen as promising alternative energy conversion systems replacing the combustion-based techniques. Among the various types of fuel cells, the low-temperature fuel cells like the polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFQ, DMFC, or alkaline fuel cell (AFC) are the most flexible ones concerning range of appUcations e.g. portable, automotive, and stationary. 

Casting by solvent evaporation is a commonly used procedure for fabrication of membranes based on organic polymers. It is probably the most widely used technique for polybenzimidazole membrane preparation for high-temperature polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells. After casting, doping with phosphoric acid provides proton conductivity to the membrane. 

V. Berejnov,D. Sinton,N. Djilah, Structure ofporous electrodes in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells An optical reconstruction technique , J. Power Sources, 2010, 195,1936. 

Experimental monitoring techniques for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells... 

Hontanon E, Escudero M J, Bautista C, Garcia-Ybarra P L and Daza L (20(X)) Optimisation of flow-field in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells using computational fluid dynamics techniques, J. Power Sources, 86, pp. 363-368. 

For a long time, solid-state methods have been successfully used to study molecular dynamics in material science applications, ranging from the investigation of chain order in elastomers (see, for example. Ref. for a recent application) to the investigation of the mechanism of proton conduction in fuel cell polymer electrolyte membranes. While solution-state NMR techniques have provided unprecedented insight into the... 

Obviously the increasing importance of solid electrolytes as employed in solid oxide or polymer membrane fuel cells calls for experimental methods adapted specifically to the needs of these experimental setups, which are considerably different from those employing liquid electrolyte solutions. The number of experimental methods beyond classical electrochemical ones adapted specifically to these requirements was fairly low when preparing this chapter. In most cases standard surface analytical or solid state analytical techniques were employed for an introductory overview see [3]. Nevertheless, these electrochemical systems are not taken into... 

Polymer electrolyte membrane and direct methanol fuel ceO technology Volume 2 In situ characterization techniques for low temperature fuel cells... 

In Chapter 10, the authors will demonstrate the preparation techniques for ASPEM and the characterization results. The relationship between structure and properties will be discussed and compared. The double-layer carbon air cathodes were also prepared for solid-state alkaline metal fuel cell fabrication. The alkaline solid state electrochemical systems, sueh as Ni-MH, Zn-air fuel cells, Al-air fuel cells, Zn-Mn02 and Al-Mn02 cells, were assembled with anodes, cathodes and alkaline solid polymer electrolyte membranes. The electrochemical cells showed excellent cell power density and high electrode utilization. Therefore, these PVA-based solid polymer electrolyte membranes have great advantages in the applications for all-solid-state alkaline fuel cells. Some other potential applieations include small electrochemical devices, sueh as supercapacitors and 3C electronic products. 

K.W. Feindel, Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques for polymer electrolyte membrane and direct alcohol fuel ceU characterization, in C. Hattnig, C. Roth (Eds.), Polymer Electrolyte Membrane and Direct Methanol Fuel Cell Technology, In Sim Characterization Techniques for Low Temperature Fuel Cells, vol. 2, Woodhead Publishing Limited, Cambridge, UK, 2012. 

K. Wippermarm and A. Schroder, Neutron radiography for the investigation of reaction patterns in direct methanol fuel cells , m. Polymer electrolyte membrane and direct methanolfuel cell technology. Volume 2 In situ characterisation techniques for low temperature fuel cells. Ch. 7. (2012) Woodhead Publishing, Oxford. 

Scheiba, E, Benker, N., Kunza, U., Rotha, C. Fuess H. Electron microscopy techniques for the analysis of the polymer electrolyte distribution in proton exchange membrane fuel-cells. J. Power Sources 111 (2008), pp. 273-280. 

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