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Synchrotron X-ray absorption edge imaging with high energy resolution was applied to study aging of fuel cell catalyst materials. The combination of an imaging and a high X-ray energy resolution set-up allows acquiring spatially resolved XAS (XANES and EXAFS) spectra. We analyzed the two-dimensional distribution of Pt and Ru in fresh and aged fuel cell catalysts. Spatially resolved XAS images were taken at the RuK edge and at the PtL3 edge. Taking radiographs above and below the absorption edges provides quantitative information about the thickness of the catalytic materials and additional chemical information. A strong influence of the flow field channels and the structure of the gas diffusion layers on the thicknesses of the catalytic elements were found: a thinner catalyst layer was found below the ribs of the flow field geometries as well as under crossing points of fiber bundles of the woven gas diffusion layers.
Investigation of fuel cell materials and liquid water transport by means of synchrotron imaging
(2013)
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.
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.
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.
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.
Influence of artificial aging of gas diffusion layers on the water management of PEM fuel cells
(2014)
The influence of artificial aging of gas diffusion layers (GDL) on the water management within the GDL was investigated in-operando by synchrotron X-ray radiography. One GDL was subjected to an accelerated aging procedure in 30% H2O2 solution, while another GDL was pristine. Radiographic measurements were combined with temporally resolved electrical analyzes. Significant differences in cell voltage and water accumulation were observed during cell operation at steady-state conditions. The cell which contained the aged GDL featured a higher water amount especially at the anode side and a lower cell voltage.
In contrast to classical low temperature polymer electrolyte fuel cells (LT-PEFCs), the membrane conductivity in high temperature polymer electrolyte fuel cells (HT-PEFCs) (operating temperature ~ 160 °C) is based on proton transport within phosphorus-oxygen acids at different levels of hydration, orthophosphoric acid (H3PO4) being the simplest example. We present for the first time in-situ synchrotron X-ray radiography measurements applied to a HT-PEFC to gain insight into the local composition of the membrane electrode assembly (MEA) under dynamic operating conditions. Transmission changes during the radiographic measurements exhibit a clear influence of the formation of product water on the membrane composition.
In order to demonstrate the challenging tasks in current R&D applications in the field of renewable energy
sources experimental neutron and electron tomographic data sets of PEM fuel cell components are processed by
an advanced version of the DIRECTT algorithm. The neutron measurements of the water distribution suffer from
several intrinsic limitations such as massive position dependent focal smearing due to the large primary neutron
beam aperture. Electron (TEM) tomography allows characterisation of nanometre sized catalyst particles but is
hampered by the following restrictions: partial opacity, a limited sector of projections (missing wedge), very few
projections, samples exceeding the detector size (region of interest) and improper angular alignment. Beyond the
capabilities of other algorithms DIRECTT proves to overcome these essential reconstruction problems, in
comparison to FBP and SIRT. Nevertheless, careful data pre-processing is an inevitable requirement in order to
fully exploit the algorithm's potentials.