Influence of Assembly Force in a PEMFC under a Lifetime Test

Authors

Fan XU, Department of Chemistry,College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering,Xiamen University,Xiamen 361005,Fujian,China;
Xuan CHENG, Department of Materials Science and Engineering,College of Materials,Xiamen University,Xiamen 361005,Fujian,China;State Key Laboratory for Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces,Xiamen University,Xiamen 361005,Fujian,China;
Ying ZHANG, Department of Materials Science and Engineering,College of Materials,Xiamen University,Xiamen 361005,Fujian,China;
Qin-bai FAN, Gas Technology Institute,Des Plaines,IL 60018,USA;

Abstract

The lifetime performance was investigated by assembling the single cell of PEMFC under a series of holding forces ranging from 0.45 to 11.3 MPa and reassembled under optimal holding force.The polarization and power density curves were obtained during different periods of operating time up to 2000 hours and the fuel cell catalyst activation regions in the polarization curves were analyzed to evaluate the electrochemical kinetic parameters.The results revealed that the holding forces affected not only the internal contact resistances,but also the kinetic parameters which might be caused by the change of the MEA microstructures.The apparent degradation observed at higher current densities after 2000 h lifetime test under the optimal holding force of 3.2 MPa was due mainly to the increases of the catalyst particle sizes.However,the agglomeration in the particle sizes of cathode catalyst after 2000 h lifetime test at 3.2 MPa was less severe than that without optimal assembly force control.

Keywords

proton exchange membrane fuel cell, contact resistance, assembly force, membrane electrode assembly, lifetime performance

DOI Link

https://doi.org/10.61558/2993-074X.1889

Publication Date

2008-05-28

Online Available Date

2008-05-28

Revised Date

2008-05-28

Received Date

2008-05-28

Recommended Citation

Fan XU, Xuan CHENG, Ying ZHANG, Qin-bai FAN. Influence of Assembly Force in a PEMFC under a Lifetime Test[J]. Journal of Electrochemistry, 2008 , 14(2): 190-196.
DOI: 10.61558/2993-074X.1889
Available at: https://jelectrochem.xmu.edu.cn/journal/vol14/iss2/16