TY - JOUR A1 - Arlt, Tobias A1 - Manke, I. A1 - Wippermann, K. A1 - Tötzke, C. A1 - Markötter, H. A1 - Riesemeier, Heinrich A1 - Mergel, J. A1 - Banhart, J. T1 - Investigation of the three-dimensional ruthenium distribution in fresh and aged membrane electrode assemblies with synchrotron X-ray absorption edge tomography JF - Electrochemistry communications N2 - Synchrotron X-ray absorption edge imaging was used to investigate the ruthenium distribution in both fresh and aged Pt/Ru-based membrane electrode assemblies (MEA) of direct methanol fuel cells. MEAs aged in different ways were analyzed: artificially aged by MeOH depletion and aged for 1700 h in an operating fuel cell stack. An element sensitive tomographic technique – differential X-ray absorption edge tomography – was applied allowing for a 3D-visualization of the ruthenium distribution within the MEA. We found a markedly changed Ru distribution after aging which is correlated to the GDL structure, the flow field geometry, and CO2 transport in the methanol solution. KW - Edge tomography KW - Ruthenium distribution KW - Direct methanol fuel cells KW - Synchrotron X-ray KW - PtRu corrosion PY - 2011 DO - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.elecom.2011.05.013 SN - 1388-2481 VL - 13 IS - 8 SP - 826 EP - 829 PB - Elsevier B.V. CY - Amsterdam AN - OPUS4-25243 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Grothausmann, R. A1 - Zehl, G. A1 - Manke, I. A1 - Fiechter, S. A1 - Bogdanoff, P. A1 - Dorbandt, I. A1 - Kupsch, Andreas A1 - Lange, Axel A1 - Hentschel, Manfred P. A1 - Schumacher, G. A1 - Banhart, J. T1 - Quantitative structural assessment of heterogeneous catalysts by electron tomography JF - Journal of the American chemical society N2 - We present transmission electron microscope (TEM) tomography investigations of ruthenium-based fuel cell catalyst materials as employed in direct methanol fuel cells (DMFC). The digital three-dimensional representation of the samples not only enables detailed studies on number, size, and shape but also on the local orientation of the ruthenium particles to their support and their freely accessible surface area. The shape analysis shows the ruthenium particles deviate significantly from spherical symmetry which increases their surface to volume ratio. The morphological studies help to understand the structure formation mechanisms during the fabrication as well as the high effectiveness of these catalysts in the oxygen reduction reaction at the cathode side of fuel cells. KW - Electron tomography KW - Reconstruction algorithm KW - Catalyst KW - Fuel cell PY - 2011 DO - https://doi.org/10.1021/ja2032508 SN - 0002-7863 SN - 1520-5126 VL - 133 IS - 45 SP - 18161 EP - 18171 PB - American Chemical Society CY - Washington, DC AN - OPUS4-24833 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Lange, Axel A1 - Kupsch, Andreas A1 - Hentschel, Manfred P. A1 - Manke, I. A1 - Kardjilov, N. A1 - Arlt, Tobias A1 - Grothausmann, R. T1 - Reconstruction of limited computed tomography data of fuel cell components using direct iterative reconstruction of computed tomography trajectories JF - Journal of power sources N2 - CT (computed tomography) reconstructions of fuel cell components of a yet unrivaled spatial resolution and quality are presented. This is achieved by application of the novel DIRECTT (Direct Iterative Reconstruction of Computed Tomography Trajectories) algorithm. We focus on two different key issues which essentially rule the fuel cell's durability on different length scales and physical interactions. On the resolution scale of some 100 µm agglomerations of condensed water in flow-field channels are detected by means of quasi-in situ neutron CT (after operation). Five orders of magnitude below nanometer sized Ru catalyst particles on carbon black support are visualized by electron tomography. Both types of experiments are especially adapted to the type of material involved but they are accompanied by severe deviations from ideal CT measuring conditions, as well. In order to overcome the tremendous reconstruction artifacts of standard algorithms, we employ DIRECTT which is described in detail. Comparisons of DIRECTT reconstructions to the conventional filtered back projection, prove the significant improvements in both experimental methods. KW - PEM fuel cell KW - Neutron computed tomography KW - Electron tomography KW - Reconstruction algrorithm KW - Water management KW - Catalyst PY - 2011 DO - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2010.10.106 SN - 0378-7753 VL - 196 IS - 12 SP - 5293 EP - 5298 PB - Elsevier CY - Amsterdam [u.a.] AN - OPUS4-23589 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Markötter, H. A1 - Manke, I. A1 - Krüger, P. A1 - Arlt, Tobias A1 - Huassmann, J. A1 - Klages, M. A1 - Riesemeier, Heinrich A1 - Hartnig, C. A1 - Scholta, J. A1 - Banhart, J. T1 - Investigation of 3D water transport paths in gas diffusion layers by combined in-situ synchrotron X-ray radiography and tomography JF - Electrochemistry communications N2 - The three-dimensional water distribution and water transport paths in the gas diffusion layer (GDL) and the adjacent micro-porous layer (MPL) of a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) were analyzed during cell operation. The technique of quasi in-situ X-ray tomography was used for a 3D visualization of the water distribution and the structure of the GDL at different operating conditions. Based on findings from in-situ radiographic measurements water transport paths were detected and subsequently examined by tomography. The combination of these 2D and 3D techniques allows for a fully three-dimensionally resolved visualization of transport paths through the GDL. KW - Polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) KW - Radiography KW - Tomography KW - Synchrotron X-ray imaging KW - Gas diffusion layer (GDL) KW - Water transport paths PY - 2011 DO - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.elecom.2011.06.023 SN - 1388-2481 VL - 13 IS - 9 SP - 1001 EP - 1004 PB - Elsevier B.V. CY - Amsterdam AN - OPUS4-25244 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Tötzke, C. A1 - Manke, I. A1 - Hartnig, C. A1 - Kuhn, R. A1 - Riesemeier, Heinrich A1 - Banhart, J. T1 - Investigation of carbon fiber gas diffusion layers by means of synchrotron X-ray tomography JF - ECS transactions N2 - The 3-dimensional spatial distribution of liquid water in different gas diffusion layer (GDL) materials was analyzed using synchrotron X-ray tomography. The capability of the method was demonstrated by virtually separating the GDL components in order to facilitate individual analysis of fiber material, liquid water and gas filled pore spaces. The influence of hydrophobic surface treatment on the water distribution in the GDL was illustrated by analyzing three GDL materials with different degrees of hydrophobicity. In the least hydrophobic sample, liquid water tends to form larger clusters which stretch out about several hundred µm inside the porous GDL. In contrast, only small water clusters were found in the strongly hydrophobic material with high Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)-content as the liquid is partially pressed out of the GDL. Additionally, the influence of fiber orientation on the water distribution in the felt material was demonstrated. KW - Synchrotron X-ray tomography KW - Fuel cell KW - Gas diffusion layer (GDL) materials KW - Analysis of fiber material PY - 2011 DO - https://doi.org/10.1149/1.3635571 SN - 1938-6737 SN - 1938-5862 VL - 41 IS - 1 SP - 379 EP - 386 CY - Pennington, NJ, USA AN - OPUS4-25348 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER -