TY - JOUR A1 - Markötter, H. A1 - Manke, I. A1 - Haußmann, J. A1 - Arlt, Tobias A1 - Klages, M. A1 - Krüger, P. A1 - Hartnig, C. A1 - Scholta, J. A1 - Müller, Bernd R. A1 - Riesemeier, Heinrich A1 - Banhart, J. T1 - Combined synchrotron X-ray radiography and tomography study of water transport in gas diffusion layers N2 - Synchrotron X-ray radiography and tomography investigations of a custom-made polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell optimised for visualisation purposes are presented. The 3D water distribution and transport pathways in the porous carbon fibre gas diffusion layers (GDLs) were investigated. The authors found that water is not only moving from the GDL into the channel, but can also take the opposite way, that is, from the channel into free pore space of the GDL. Such movement of water into the opposite direction has been subject of speculations but has so far not yet been reported and might bring new insights into the general water transport behaviour, which might give new aspects to the general description of water transport processes and influence modelling assumptions to describe the process taking place in the GDL. KW - Synchrotron radiography KW - Synchrotron tomography KW - Gas diffusion layers KW - Water transport PY - 2012 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1049/mnl.2012.0410 SN - 1750-0443 VL - 7 IS - 7 SP - 689 EP - 692 PB - IET CY - London AN - OPUS4-26282 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Manke, I. A1 - Hartnig, C. A1 - Kardjilov, N. A1 - Riesemeier, Heinrich A1 - Goebbels, Jürgen A1 - Kuhn, R. A1 - Krüger, P. A1 - Banhart, J. T1 - In situ synchrotron X-ray radiography investigations of water transport in PEM fuel cells N2 - Water transport in an operating PEM fuel cell was investigated with synchrotron X-ray radiography with a spatial resolution of 3 µm and a temporal resolution of 5 s. This method allows for the detection of water accumulations with less than 10 µm diameter. We demonstrate that synchrotron X-ray imaging can dramatically expand the possibilities of imaging with high spatial and time resolution, especially as a complement to neutron radiography. Water transport processes from the first appearance of small water accumulations in the gas diffusion layer to their transport into the channel system were analysed in situ. Correlations between local effects such as water formation and operating conditions of the whole system, e.g. power variations, were found. A recently described eruptive water transport mechanism is analysed in detail. KW - Fuel cell KW - Gas diffusion layer KW - Imaging KW - Synchrotron KW - X-ray radiography KW - Two-phase flow KW - Water transport PY - 2010 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1002/fuce.200800123 SN - 1615-6846 SN - 1615-6854 VL - 10 IS - 1 SP - 26 EP - 34 PB - Wiley-VCH CY - Weinheim AN - OPUS4-22730 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Markötter, H. A1 - Alink, R. A1 - Haußmann, J. A1 - Dittmann, K. A1 - Arlt, Tobias A1 - Wieder, F. A1 - Tötzke, C. A1 - Klages, M. A1 - Reiter, C. A1 - Riesemeier, Heinrich A1 - Scholta, J. A1 - Gerteisen, D. A1 - Banhart, J. A1 - Manke, I. T1 - Visualization of the water distribution in perforated gas diffusion layers by means of synchrotron X-ray radiography N2 - Perforated gas diffusion layers (GDLs) of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) were investigated by means of in-situ synchrotron X-ray radiography during operation. We found a strong influence of perforations on the water distribution and transport in the investigated Toray TGP-H-090 GDL. The water occurs mainly around the perforations, while the holes themselves show varying water distributions. Some remain dry, while most of them fill up with liquid water after a certain period or might serve as drainage volume for effective water transport. KW - Polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) KW - Radiography KW - Synchrotron KW - X-ray imaging KW - Perforated gas diffusion layer (GDL) KW - Water transport PY - 2012 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2012.01.141 SN - 0360-3199 VL - 37 IS - 9 SP - 7757 EP - 7761 PB - Elsevier CY - Oxford AN - OPUS4-26434 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Tötzke, C. A1 - Gaiselmann, G. A1 - Osenberg, M. A1 - Arlt, Tobias A1 - Markötter, H. A1 - Hilger, A. A1 - Kupsch, Andreas A1 - Müller, Bernd R. A1 - Schmidt, V. A1 - Lehnert, W. A1 - Manke, I. T1 - Influence of hydrophobic treatment on the structure of compressed gas diffusion layers N2 - Carbon fiber based felt materials are widely used as gas diffusion layer (GDL) in fuel cells. Their transport properties can be adjusted by adding hydrophobic agents such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). We present a synchrotron X-ray tomographic study on the felt material Freudenberg H2315 with different PTFE finishing. In this study, we analyze changes in microstructure and shape of GDLs at increasing degree of compression which are related to their specific PTFE load. A dedicated compression device mimicking the channel-land pattern of the flowfield is used to reproduce the inhomogeneous compression found in a fuel cell. Transport relevant geometrical parameters such as porosity, pore size distribution and geometric tortuosity are calculated and consequences for media transport discussed. PTFE finishing results in a marked change of shape of compressed GDLs: surface is smoothed and the invasion of GDL fibers into the flow field channel strongly mitigated. Furthermore, the PTFE impacts the microstructure of the compressed GDL. The number of available wide transport paths is significantly increased as compared to the untreated material. These changes improve the transport capacity liquid water through the GDL and promote the discharge of liquid water droplets from the cell. KW - Gas diffusion layer KW - Synchrotron Tomography KW - Compression KW - Hydrophobic treatment KW - Water transport PY - 2016 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2016.05.118 SN - 0378-7753 VL - 324 SP - 625 EP - 636 PB - Elsevier CY - Amsterdam AN - OPUS4-36918 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Markötter, H. A1 - Haußmann, J. A1 - Alink, R. A1 - Tötzke, C. A1 - Arlt, Tobias A1 - Klages, M. A1 - Riesemeier, Heinrich A1 - Scholta, J. A1 - Gerteisen, D. A1 - Banhart, J. A1 - Manke, I. T1 - Influence of cracks in the microporous layer on the water distribution in a PEM fuel cell investigated by synchrotron radiography N2 - Water evolution in the gas diffusion layer of a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell was visualized in situ by means of synchrotron X-ray radiography. Cracks in the microporous layer were identified as start points of efficient liquid water transfer paths through the gas diffusion layer. Quantitative analysis of the water flow rate through those arbitrarily distributed cracks into the gas channel revealed that they have a strong influence on the overall liquid water transport. This could find entry into future material design and simulation. KW - Polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) KW - Radiography KW - Synchrotron X-ray imaging KW - Microporous layer (MPL) KW - Water transport KW - Liquid water flow rate PY - 2013 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.elecom.2013.04.006 SN - 1388-2481 VL - 34 SP - 22 EP - 24 PB - Elsevier CY - Amsterdam AN - OPUS4-30548 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Arlt, Tobias A1 - Manke, I. A1 - Wippermann, K. A1 - Schröder, A. A1 - Mergel, J. A1 - Riesemeier, Heinrich A1 - Banhart, J. T1 - Röntgen-Kanten-Tomografie und -Radiografie zur Untersuchung von Alterungseffekten in Brennstoffzellenmaterialien KW - Resolution neutron-radiography KW - Local current distribution KW - Water transport KW - Carbon-dioxide KW - Methanol KW - Platinum KW - Oxidation PY - 2010 SN - 0025-5300 VL - 52 IS - 10 SP - 692 EP - 697 PB - Hanser CY - München AN - OPUS4-23045 LA - deu AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Markötter, H. A1 - Manke, I. A1 - Hartnig, C. A1 - Krüger, P. A1 - Wippermann, K. A1 - Arlt, Tobias A1 - Choinka, G. A1 - Riesemeier, Heinrich A1 - Banhart, J. T1 - Hochauflösende Synchrotron-Radiografie KW - PEM Fuel-cells KW - Local current distribution KW - Neutron imaging technique KW - Water transport PY - 2010 SN - 0025-5300 VL - 52 IS - 10 SP - 698 EP - 704 PB - Hanser CY - München AN - OPUS4-23046 LA - deu AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER -