Mathematical model of a gas diffusion electrode bonded to a polymer electrolyte
Abstract
A mathematical model for an ion‐exchange membrane attached to a gas‐fed porous electrode is derived and discussed. The model is applied to simulate the oxygen electrode of a polymer‐electrolyte fuel cell. Our discussion focuses on cell polarization characteristics, water transport, and catalyst utilization—all of which must be considered for fuel‐cell design. Calculated polarization behavior is shown to compare favorably with published experimental data. Our results indicate that if the membrane maintains full saturation, its contribution to the total cell resistance is most significant at higher operating current densities (greater than 200 mA/cm 2). Polarization resistance due to the oxygen reduction reaction appears to be important for all practical current densities. Water transport, driven by pressure and electric‐potential forces, is shown to be a complicated function of the cell operating conditions. The utilization and distribution of noble‐metal catalyst is discussed.
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The quasi-empirical Schlögl equation used for water transport in the works of Bernardi and Verbrugge assumes the presence of liquid water filling the membrane pores.
“The quasi-empirical Schlögl equation used for water transport in the works of Bernardi and Verbrugge assumes the presence of liquid water filling the membrane pores, and sets [116,142]:(100)μMwρwNw=−κp∇p−κϕcfF∇ϕ”
From Modelling the Proton-Conductive Membrane in Practical Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC) Simulation: A Review (2020) · cites this paper as [116]
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- Authors
- Bernardi, D. M., & Verbrugge, M. W.
- Affiliations
- General Motors (United States) (US)
- Corresponding author
- Bernardi, Dawn M.
- ORCID
- Verbrugge, Mark W.
- Venue
- AIChE Journal
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 1991-08
- Volume
- 37
- Issue
- 8
- Pages
- 1151-1163
- ISSN
- 0001-1541 (ISSN-L)
- 1547-5905
- OpenAlex
- W1978722317
- Cited by
- 851
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 11 · 2025: 8 · 2024: 20 · 2023: 26 · 2022: 20 · 2021: 32 · 2020: 21 · 2019: 27 · 2018: 19 · 2017: 26 · 2016: 24 · 2015: 29 · 2014: 36 · 2013: 27 · 2012: 30
- FWCI
- 2.78
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- AIChE Journal (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Engineering › Electrical and Electronic Engineering › Fuel Cells and Related Materials
- Physical Sciences › Materials Science › Materials Chemistry › Advancements in Solid Oxide Fuel Cells
- Physical Sciences › Energy › Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment › Electrocatalysts for Energy Conversion
- Keywords
- proton exchange membrane fuel cells, gas diffusion electrode, ion exchange membranes, oxygen electrode, cell polarization, membrane water transport, oxygen reduction reaction, polarization resistance, fuel cell design
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