Performance of Phosphonated Hydrocarbon Ionomer in the Fuel Cell Cathode Catalyst Layer

QC 20130322
Inexpensive and environmentally friendly electrolyte polymers that can be operated at higher temperatures and drier conditions are highly interesting for PEM fuel cells for automotive, portable power and stationary electricity generation applications. In this study an ionomer based on polysulfone grafted with poly(vinylphosphonic acid) (PSUgPVPA) in the cathode Pt/C catalyst layer was electrochemically characterized and compared to Nafion. The performance at different levels of humidity at 80 degrees C was evaluated by polarization measurements, cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The results show that the performance of the PSUgPVPA-based cathode catalyst layer is comparable to that of Nafion-at 100% relative humidity (RH) but with some instabilities. However, at drier conditions significant losses of performance for the PSUgPVPA-based cathode was observed. This could be an effect of catalyst poisoning by the ionomer interfering with ORR. However, the concomitant decrease of the electrochemical surface area, double layer capacitance and increased imaginary impedance, indicate that the poorer performance at low humidity is mainly an effect of reduced catalyst wetting by the ionomer in combination with the decreased proton conduction in the ionomeric phase.

Oyarce, AlejandroKTH,Tillämpad elektrokemi(Swepub:kth)u1vk3hv4 (author)
Aguinaga, Luis GuerreroKTH,Tillämpad elektrokemi(Swepub:kth)u1ordbcc (author)
Ubeda, DiegoKTH,Tillämpad elektrokemi(Swepub:kth)u1arv5nv (author)
Ingratta, MarkLund University,Lunds universitet,Centrum för analys och syntes,Kemiska institutionen,Institutioner vid LTH,Lunds Tekniska Högskola,Centre for Analysis and Synthesis,Department of Chemistry,Departments at LTH,Faculty of Engineering, LTH(Swepub:lu)poly-mai (author)
Jannasch, PatricLund University,Lunds universitet,Centrum för analys och syntes,Kemiska institutionen,Institutioner vid LTH,Lunds Tekniska Högskola,Centre for Analysis and Synthesis,Department of Chemistry,Departments at LTH,Faculty of Engineering, LTH(Swepub:lu)poly-pja (author)
Lindbergh, GöranKTH,Tillämpad elektrokemi(Swepub:kth)u13qsu09 (author)
KTHTillämpad elektrokemi (creator_code:org_t)

In:Journal of the Electrochemical Society: The Electrochemical Society160:3, s. F269-F2770013-46511945-7111

By the author/editor: Wreland Lindströ ...; Oyarce, Alejandr ...; Aguinaga, Luis G ...; Ubeda, Diego; Ingratta, Mark; Jannasch, Patric; show more...; Lindbergh, Göran; show less...

About the subject

Kungliga biblioteket hanterar dina personuppgifter i enlighet med EU:s dataskyddsförordning (2018), GDPR. Läs mer om hur det funkar här.
Så här hanterar KB dina uppgifter vid användning av denna tjänst.