Fabrication of microstructure controlled cathode catalyst layers and their effect on water management in polymer electrolyte fuel cells

摘要: Abstract Although cathode catalyst layers (CCLs) are at the center of water management in polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFCs), understanding movement CCLs and their roll on cell performance is still limited. In this present study, several with controlled microstructure, including main pore size, volume porosity ranging from 30 to 70 nm, 0.443 0.962 cm 3 /g Pt/C , 45.4 64.4%, respectively, were prepared by changing hot-pressing pressure a decal process, ability evaluated. The electrochemical analyses reveal that, as size increase, diffusion resistance mainly arising accumulation pores evidently reduced capillary equilibrium, which leads better performance. Water balancing between discharging also depends CCL structure, greater sizes larger volumes more stable steady state operation, even under extremely humid conditions. Based these MEA technologies such fabrication CCLs, further study will be performed understand microscopic phenomena nano combining experimental approach numerical modeling.