Article
Chemistry, Physical
Jared Beshai, Thomas DiSorbo, Jacob Hutfles, Jacob Segil, Richard F. ff Weir, John Pellegrino
Summary: This study presents the key characteristics of implementing cellulose acetate (CA) coatings on carbon cloth used as a fuel diffusion layer in aqueous fuel-fed cells, and demonstrates their functionality. The results show that these coatings enhance aqueous solution permeation and adhesion properties, leading to a two-fold increase in maximum power generation in alkaline DGFCs.
JOURNAL OF POWER SOURCES
(2022)
Article
Electrochemistry
Siddharth Komini Babu, Thomas O'Brien, Michael J. Workman, Mahlon Wilson, Rangachary Mukundan, Rod Borup
Summary: The corrosion of fuel cell components introduces contaminants that accelerate ionomer degradation, decreasing fuel cell durability. Altering gas diffusion layer wettability can affect cation contaminant transport, with the addition of a hydrophobic layer significantly suppressing contaminant transport and improving fuel cell performance.
JOURNAL OF THE ELECTROCHEMICAL SOCIETY
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
G. Athanasaki, Q. Wang, X. Shi, N. Chauhan, V. Vimala, L. Cindrella, R. Ahmad, A. M. Kannan
Summary: Membrane electrode assemblies are improved by incorporating gas diffusion layers with microporous layers to enhance the performance of proton exchange membrane fuel cells under different humidity conditions. The fabricated GDL samples with PUREBLACK (R) showed crack-free surface morphology and hydrophobic characteristics. The fuel cell performance was evaluated under different relative humidity conditions, with the GDL containing 30% pore forming agent showing higher performance compared to those without.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HYDROGEN ENERGY
(2021)
Review
Engineering, Chemical
Alessandro d'Adamo, Maximilian Haslinger, Giuseppe Corda, Johannes Hoeflinger, Stefano Fontanesi, Thomas Lauer
Summary: The review article analyzes Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFC) through presenting common approaches for multi-phase/multi-physics modeling and advanced diagnostic techniques, in order to advance the current technology in sustainable power generation through a unified framework of interrelated physical/chemical processes.
Article
Engineering, Mechanical
Hamed Gholipour, Mohammad J. Kermani, Rahim Zamanian
Summary: A pore network model is developed for gas diffusion layer in the cathode side of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells, capturing the non-uniform water saturation distributions inside GDL and predicting the time evolution of oxygen concentration and water generation rate at catalyst layer. The local water blockages inflict an average of 38.8% loss on the produced limiting current of the fuel cell, with concentration overvoltages most pronounced in the under-rib region.
ACTA MECHANICA SINICA
(2021)
Article
Thermodynamics
Yi Li, Fang Yuan, Rengang Weng, Fang Xi, Wei Liu
Summary: The porosity distribution in the gas diffusion layer significantly impacts cell performance. An optimized three-dimensional nonuniform porosity distribution is proposed to increase current density and power density. Different design schemes are evaluated, with the optimized porosity distribution showing the best performance.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Yangbin Shao, Liangfei Xu, Jianqiu Li, Zunyan Hu, Yujie Ding, Weibo Zheng, Minggao Ouyang
Summary: The study proposed a novel experimental methodology to analyze the water management and other transient processes within PEMFC, showing that the transient capillary transport of liquid water within GDL dominates the lambda-V hysteresis under high humidification conditions, and successfully achieved three cycles of GDL imbibition/drainage in-situ for the first time.
JOURNAL OF POWER SOURCES
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Yuzhou Zhang, Viral Hirpara, Virat Patel, Chen Li, Ryan Anderson, Ning Zhu, Lifeng Zhang
Summary: This study visualized the thawing and desaturation process of GDL using synchrotron X-ray CT images, and quantified the desaturation rates, saturation profiles and effects of different conditions. The results showed heterogeneous desaturation behavior on overall and localized GDL regions under different experimental conditions.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HYDROGEN ENERGY
(2021)
Article
Electrochemistry
Yutaka Iizuka, Yutaka Tabe, Yuki Kitami, Suguru Uemura
Summary: In order to increase the power output of polymer electrolyte fuel cells, this study evaluates the effects of condensed water on the oxygen transport resistance. The resistance increase is separated into pressure-dependent and -independent components. The results show that both components increase with temperature. Observations suggest that the accumulation of condensed water at the interface between the micro-porous layer and catalyst layer can disrupt oxygen transport.
JOURNAL OF THE ELECTROCHEMICAL SOCIETY
(2022)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Zhicheng Liu, Li Zhou, Yanyan Gao, Manman Qi, Haiping Chen, Ming Hou, Zhigang Shao
Summary: A novel hydrophilic-modified gas diffusion layer (GDL) with Polyacrylonitrile (PAN) has been fabricated to improve the performance of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) under low humidity. The addition of PAN in the cathode GDL significantly increases the power density by 30% under low humidity, without affecting the performance under full humidity.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENERGY RESEARCH
(2021)
Review
Chemistry, Physical
Qitong Shi, Cong Feng, Pingwen Ming, Fumin Tang, Cunman Zhang
Summary: This paper reviews the effects of compression on gas diffusion layers in fuel cells, emphasizing the need for comprehensive investigation on how compression affects the pores and bulk characteristics of the gas diffusion layer.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HYDROGEN ENERGY
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Hamed Afrasiab, Ehsan Emami Gharehhajloo, Mohammad Mahdi Barzegari
Summary: This paper develops an efficient analytical model to characterize the electrical and mechanical behavior of the gas diffusion layer (GDL) in a proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell. The model considers the resistance of fiber contacts in the electrical circuit and captures the deformation of carbon fibers in the GDL microstructure using the Timoshenko beam theory. An innovative procedure is introduced to update the number of fiber contacts during compression. Experimental data is used to validate the stress-strain and electrical resistance-stress curves obtained from the model. The model can effectively improve the design and performance of PEM fuel cells.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HYDROGEN ENERGY
(2023)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Robert Herrendorfer, Magali Cochet, Jurgen O. Schumacher
Summary: Evaporative cooling based on HPILs modified GDLs in proton exchange membrane fuel cells has been studied through a numerical model. The model reveals that the majority of water vapor leaves the cell via AGFC and the transport to the cathode side is limited by the membrane.
Review
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Diankai Qiu, Linfa Peng, Peiyun Yi, Werner Lehnert, Xinmin Lai
Summary: This paper provides an overview of important issues related to the assembly process of fuel cell stacks and aims to guide engineers and researchers on improving stack performance. Key points include quality evaluation, assembly methods, in-situ behavior during compression, numerical methods, optimization techniques, and novel stack designs. Future work should focus on factors affecting cell performance during assembly and mitigation of adverse effects through mechanism analysis, quality evaluation, assembly method selection, process optimization, and novel stack structure design.
RENEWABLE & SUSTAINABLE ENERGY REVIEWS
(2021)
Review
Chemistry, Physical
Grigoria Athanasaki, Arunkumar Jayakumar, A. M. Kannan
Summary: This study investigates the Gas Diffusion Layer (GDL) in proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) stacks, emphasizing its significant role in performance, durability, and dynamic characteristics. The manufacturing techniques of GDL are also reviewed. It is suggested that additive manufacturing can be a cost-effective and simple approach for GDL fabrication.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HYDROGEN ENERGY
(2023)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Xuyang Zhang, Andrew Higier, Xu Zhang, Hongtan Liu
Article
Electrochemistry
X. Zhang, Y. Yang, X. Zhang, L. Guo, H. Liu
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Xuyang Zhang, Xu Zhang, Hidetaka Taira, Hongtan Liu
JOURNAL OF POWER SOURCES
(2019)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Xin Luo, Shizhong Chen, Zhongxian Xia, Xuyang Zhang, Wei Yuan, Yuhou Wu
APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL
(2019)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Dong He, Qingyu Xiong, Xuyang Zhang, Yunchuang Dai, Ziyan Jiang
APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL
(2019)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Xu Zhang, Yupeng Yang, Xuyang Zhang, Hongtan Liu
JOURNAL OF POWER SOURCES
(2020)
Article
Mechanics
Rifeng Zhou, Xu Zhang, Zhuan Yang, Xiaodong Mu, Xuqing Lang, Xin Wang, Limin He
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MULTIPHASE FLOW
(2020)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Wei Yuan, Jie Li, Zhongxian Xia, Shizhong Chen, Xuyang Zhang, Zhan Wang, Hong Sun
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Abdullah Alrashidi, Hongtan Liu
Summary: Novel anode gas diffusion layers (AGDLs) with both hydrophobic and hydrophilic pathways were created by perforating PTFE-treated AGDLs with laser, enhancing both methanol and CO2 transfer. The main reason for the 32% cell performance improvement was reduction in mass transfer resistance and enhanced methanol transfer to the catalyst layer. However, excessive perforations may increase methanol crossover and decrease cell performance.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HYDROGEN ENERGY
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Yupeng Yang, Xu Zhang, Liejin Guo, Hongtan Liu
JOURNAL OF POWER SOURCES
(2020)
Proceedings Paper
Energy & Fuels
Xuyang Zhang, Shizhong Chen, Zhongxian Xia, Xu Zhang, Hongtan Liu
INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS FOR ENERGY TRANSITIONS
(2019)