TY - JOUR
T1 - Proton conduction in PEM fuel cell cathodes
T2 - Effects of electrode thickness and ionomer equivalent weight
AU - Liu, Yuxiu
AU - Ji, Chunxin
AU - Gu, Wenbin
AU - Baker, Daniel R.
AU - Jorne, Jacob
AU - Gasteiger, Hubert A.
PY - 2010
Y1 - 2010
N2 - The dependence of electrode proton resistivity on electrode thickness, Pt loading, ionomer loading, and ionomer equivalent weight (EW) in proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell cathodes was investigated using a Pt/Vulcan catalyst. For uniform electrodes, the electrode proton resistivity is independent of the electrode thickness and Pt loading but depends on the ionomer loading and ionomer EW. There is a strong dependence on the ionomer EW when the ionomer/carbon weight (I/C) ratio is lower than 0.8. The electrode proton resistivity strongly depends on relative humidity (RH) and the density of - SO3 H groups in the electrode. The electrode proton resistivity becomes nearly independent of ionomer EW in electrodes when high I/C ratios are used. At low I/C ratios and low RH levels, electrodes with 850 EW ionomer exhibit better performance than those with 1050 EW. On the contrary, 850 EW electrodes give lower performance under overhumidified conditions due to electrode flooding.
AB - The dependence of electrode proton resistivity on electrode thickness, Pt loading, ionomer loading, and ionomer equivalent weight (EW) in proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell cathodes was investigated using a Pt/Vulcan catalyst. For uniform electrodes, the electrode proton resistivity is independent of the electrode thickness and Pt loading but depends on the ionomer loading and ionomer EW. There is a strong dependence on the ionomer EW when the ionomer/carbon weight (I/C) ratio is lower than 0.8. The electrode proton resistivity strongly depends on relative humidity (RH) and the density of - SO3 H groups in the electrode. The electrode proton resistivity becomes nearly independent of ionomer EW in electrodes when high I/C ratios are used. At low I/C ratios and low RH levels, electrodes with 850 EW ionomer exhibit better performance than those with 1050 EW. On the contrary, 850 EW electrodes give lower performance under overhumidified conditions due to electrode flooding.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=77954734833&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1149/1.3435323
DO - 10.1149/1.3435323
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:77954734833
SN - 0013-4651
VL - 157
SP - B1154-B1162
JO - Journal of the Electrochemical Society
JF - Journal of the Electrochemical Society
IS - 8
ER -