TY - JOUR A1 - Müller, Bernd R. A1 - Cooper, R.C. A1 - Lange, Axel A1 - Kupsch, Andreas A1 - Wheeler, M. A1 - Hentschel, Manfred P. A1 - Staude, Andreas A1 - Pandey, A. A1 - Shyam, A. A1 - Bruno, Giovanni T1 - Stress-induced microcrack density evolution in β-eucryptite ceramics: Experimental observations and possible route to strain hardening N2 - In order to investigate their microcracking behaviour, the microstructures of several β-eucryptite ceramics, obtained from glass precursor and cerammed to yield different grain sizes and microcrack densities, were characterized by laboratory and synchrotron x-ray refraction and tomography. Results were compared with those obtained from scanning electron microscopy (SEM). In SEM images, the characterized materials appeared fully dense but computed tomography showed the presence of pore clusters. Uniaxial tensile testing was performed on specimens while strain maps were recorded and analyzed by Digital Image Correlation (DIC). X-ray refraction techniques were applied on specimens before and after tensile testing to measure the amount of the internal specific surface (i.e., area per unit volume). X-ray refraction revealed that (a) the small grain size (SGS) material contained a large specific surface, originating from the grain boundaries and the interfaces of TiO2 precipitates; (b) the medium (MGS) and large grain size (LGS) materials possessed higher amounts of specific surface compared to SGS material due to microcracks, which decreased after tensile loading; (c) the precursor glass had negligible internal surface. The unexpected decrease in the internal surface of MGS and LGS after tensile testing is explained by the presence of compressive regions in the DIC strain maps and further by theoretical arguments. It is suggested that while some microcracks merge via propagation, more close mechanically, thereby explaining the observed X-ray refraction results. The mechanisms proposed would allow the development of a strain hardening route in ceramics. KW - Beta-eucryptite KW - Microcracked ceramics KW - X-ray refraction KW - Tensile load KW - Strain hardening KW - Synchrotron KW - BAMline KW - Computed Tomography KW - CT PY - 2018 UR - http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1359645417308881 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actamat.2017.10.030 SN - 1359-6454 SN - 1873-2453 VL - 144 IS - Supplement C SP - 627 EP - 641 PB - Elsevier B.V. AN - OPUS4-43024 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 - Tötzke, C. A1 - Manke, I. A1 - Gaiselmann, G. A1 - Bohner, J. A1 - Müller, Bernd R. A1 - Kupsch, Andreas A1 - Hentschel, Manfred P. A1 - Schmidt, V. A1 - Banhart, J. A1 - Lehnert, W. T1 - A dedicated compression device for high resolution X-ray tomography of compressed gas diffusion layers N2 - We present an experimental approach to study the three-dimensional microstructure of gas diffusion layer (GDL) materials under realistic compression conditions. A dedicated compression device was designed that allows for synchrotron-tomographic investigation of circular samples under well-defined compression conditions. The tomographic data provide the experimental basis for stochastic modeling of nonwoven GDL materials. A plain compression tool is used to study the fiber courses in the material at different compression stages. Transport relevant geometrical parameters, such as porosity, pore size, and tortuosity distributions, are exemplarily evaluated for a GDL sample in the uncompressed state and for a compression of 30 vol.%. To mimic the geometry of the flow-field, we employed a compression punch with an integrated channel-rib-profile. It turned out that the GDL material is homogeneously compressed under the ribs, however, much less compressed underneath the channel. GDL fibers extend far into the channel volume where they might interfere with the convective gas transport and the removal of liquid water from the cell. KW - PEM fuel cell KW - Gas diffusion layer (GDL) KW - Compression device KW - X-ray tomography KW - Synchrotron KW - Tortuosity PY - 2015 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4918291 SN - 0034-6748 SN - 1089-7623 VL - 86 IS - 4 SP - 043702-1 EP - 043702-6 PB - American Institute of Physics CY - Melville, NY, USA AN - OPUS4-33081 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Tötzke, C. A1 - Gaiselmann, G. A1 - Osenberg, M. A1 - Bohner, J. A1 - Arlt, Tobias A1 - Markötter, H. A1 - Hilger, A. A1 - Wieder, F. A1 - Kupsch, Andreas A1 - Müller, Bernd R. A1 - Hentschel, Manfred P. A1 - Banhart, J. A1 - Schmidt, V. A1 - Lehnert, W. A1 - Manke, I. T1 - Three-dimensional study of compressed gas diffusion layers using synchrotron X-ray imaging N2 - We present a synchrotron X-ray tomographic study on the morphology of carbon fiber-based gas diffusion layer (GDL) material under compression. A dedicated compression device is used to provide well-defined compression conditions. A flat compression punch is employed to study the fiber geometry at different degrees of compression. Transport relevant geometrical parameters such as porosity, pore size and tortuosity distributions are calculated. The geometric properties notably change upon compression which has direct impact on transport conditions for gas and fluid flow. The availability of broad 3D paths, which are most important for the transport of liquid water from the catalyst layer through the GDL, is markedly reduced after compression. In a second experiment, we study the influence of the channel-land-pattern of the flow-field on shape and microstructure of the GDL. A flow-field compression punch is employed to reproduce the inhomogeneous compression conditions found during fuel cell assembly. While homogenously compressed underneath the land the GDL is much less and inhomogeneously compressed under the channel. The GDL material extends far into the channel volume where it can considerably influence gas and fluid flow. Loose fiber endings penetrate deeply into the channel and form obstacles for the discharge of liquid water droplets. KW - Synchrotron X-ray tomography KW - Gas diffusion layer (GDL) KW - Microstructure KW - Water transport path KW - Pore size analysis KW - Geometrical tortuosity PY - 2014 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2013.12.062 SN - 0378-7753 VL - 253 SP - 123 EP - 131 PB - Elsevier CY - Amsterdam [u.a.] AN - OPUS4-29979 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Markötter, H. A1 - Haußmann, J. A1 - Alink, R. A1 - Dittmann, K. A1 - Tötzke, C. A1 - Krüger, P. A1 - Klages, M. A1 - Arlt, Tobias A1 - Müller, Bernd R. A1 - Riesemeier, Heinrich A1 - Scholta, J. A1 - Gerteisen, D. A1 - Manke, I. A1 - Banhart, J. T1 - Investigation of fuel cell materials and liquid water transport by means of synchrotron imaging N2 - Synchrotron imaging allows addressing various important issues in fuel cell research, for example water distribution and transport. The water distribution in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) was observed quasi in-situ directly after operation by means of synchrotron tomography. The 3D data set was compared with the tomogram of a dry cell in order to separate the water distribution from cell materials. Engineered transport pathways realized by perforating holes through the gas diffusion layer (GDL) are a recent approach to optimize water transport and cell performance. For some parameter sets a cell performance increase and an improvement of stabilization have already been proven. We present high resolution investigations of the water distribution in perforated GDLs of operating PEMFCs by means of in-situ synchrotron radiography. The surrounding areas of the holes exhibited a distinct hydrophilic character. KW - Gas-diffusion layers KW - Resolution neutron-radiography KW - X-ray radiography KW - Visualization KW - PEMFC PY - 2013 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1149/04529.0195ecst SN - 1938-6737 SN - 1938-5862 VL - 45 IS - 29 SP - 195 EP - 202 CY - Pennington, NJ, USA AN - OPUS4-30545 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - 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 - CONF A1 - Müller, Bernd R. A1 - Tötzke, C. A1 - Manke, I. A1 - Arlt, Tobias A1 - Markötter, H. A1 - Hilger, A. A1 - Kardjilov, N. A1 - Krüger, P. A1 - Scholta, J. T1 - Non-Destructive Analysis of Water and Media Distribution in Fuel Cells by Means of Neutron and Synchrotron X-ray Imaging T2 - 220th ECS Meeting and Electrochemical Energy Summit CY - Boston, MA, USA DA - 2011-10-09 PY - 2011 AN - OPUS4-25381 LA - deu AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - GEN A1 - Rack, A. A1 - Zabler, S. A1 - Riesemeier, Heinrich A1 - Weidemann, Gerd A1 - Müller, Bernd R. A1 - Helfen, L. A1 - Stiller, M. A1 - Knabe, C. A1 - Goebbels, Jürgen A1 - Banhart, J. T1 - Nondestructive 3D insights into foamy metals and bioregenerative ceramics KW - X-ray Computed Tomography KW - Metal foams KW - Bioregenerative ceramics PY - 2008 UR - http://www.helmholtz-berlin.de/media/media/oea/web/pr_webseite/druckschriften/infos/bessy/highlights2007.pdf#page=34 SN - 1611-6127 SP - 34 EP - 35 PB - Berliner Elektronenspeicherring-Gesellschaft für Synchrotronstrahlung CY - Berlin AN - OPUS4-17538 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Hartnig, C. A1 - Kuhn, R. A1 - Krüger, P. A1 - Manke, I. A1 - Kardjilov, N. A1 - Goebbels, Jürgen A1 - Müller, Bernd R. A1 - Riesemeier, Heinrich T1 - Wassermanagement in Brennstoffzellen - die Bedeutung von hochauflösenden zerstörungsfreien Untersuchungsmethoden N2 - Ein effektives Wassermanagement ist ein wichtiger Aspekt in der Entwicklung von Brennstoffzellen hinsichtlich Langzeitstabilität und Optimierung der Leistungsfähigkeit. Eine zentrale Rolle spielt dabei die Gasdiffusionslage, die für die gleichmäßige Verteilung der Reaktionsgase auf die elektrochemisch aktive Schicht (Katalysator) sorgen soll. In diesem Beitrag werden gemeinsame Forschungsaktivitäten des Helmholtz-Zentrums Berlin für Materialien und Energie (Entwicklung bildgebender Verfahren) sowie des Zentrums für Sonnenenergie- und Wasserstoff-Forschung (ZSW, Entwicklung von Brennstoffzellen) vorgestellt. Im Rahmen dieser Kooperation werden die Entstehung, die Verteilung und der Transport von flüssigem Wasser, kurz das Wassermanagement, unter Betriebsbedingungen untersucht. Mittels Synchrotronradiografie und -tomografie werden kleinste Wassercluster in der Gasdiffusionslage detektiert. Die gewonnenen Erkenntnisse dienen der Modifikation und einer gezielten Auswahl der eingesetzten Materialien. KW - Synchrotronstrahlung KW - Brennstoffzellen KW - Materialcharakterisierung KW - Zerstörungsfrei PY - 2008 SN - 0025-5300 VL - 50 IS - 10 SP - 609 EP - 614 PB - Hanser CY - München AN - OPUS4-18656 LA - deu AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER -