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Cited by 28Fuel Cells and Related MaterialsElectrocatalysts for Energy ConversionAdvancements in Solid Oxide Fuel Cells

Composition Dependence of the Pore Structure and Water Transport of Composite Catalyst Layers for Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells

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Sun, Che-Nan, More, Karren L., Veith, Gabriel M., Zawodzinski, Thomas A.·2013·Journal of The Electrochemical Society
DOI 10.1149/2.055309jes
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Abstract

The material distribution, porous features, and ionomer behavior in the catalyst layer (20wt% platinum on Vulcan carbon impregnated with Nafion) of polymer electrolyte fuel cells were investigated by microscopy, nitrogen adsorption, and water uptake as a function of ionomer loading or relative humidity. As revealed by microscopy, thin ionomer coverage along the carbon surface is observed when ionomer loading is low, while for higher loading, the pore spaces among the carbon agglomerates were mostly flooded. Even at a low ionomer to carbon ratio, the micro-porosity is closed off and the BET surface area decreases by more than 50%. At 100% relative humidity, the water content in the ionomer within the I/C = 0.5 catalyst layer reaches only 4 water molecules per sulfonate, presumably due to the inhibition of swelling by the carbon filler. The resulting structures and properties in the catalyst layer induce a tortuous pathway for water or proton transport in the ionomer phase, particularly at low water content. A distinct feature is observed in the catalyst layers using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). DSC measurements on the sub-components lead us to conclude that the feature reflects interactions between the ionomer and the carbon or the Pt particles.

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  • Directly mixing Nafion dispersion solution and Pt/C likely detaches Pt nanoparticles from carbon due to triggered combustion reaction degrading carbon support.

    “It has been reported that directly mixing Nafion dispersion solution (the commercial dispersion solution contains the water/1-propanol mixed solvent) and Pt/C likely detaches Pt nanoparticles from carbon due to the triggered combustion reaction that would degrade carbon support [155].”

    From Effect of Catalyst Ink and Formation Process on the Multiscale Structure of Catalyst Layers in PEM Fuel Cells (2022) · cites this paper as [155]

    The Results and Discussion (page unavailable) report detached Pt particles and say that adding Nafion solution to Pt/C without sufficient water can trigger combustion and damage the carbon support. The claim omits that water condition and presents combustion as the likely cause of detachment, although the paper also names sonication and prolonged stirring as possible causes. The Sample preparation section does not establish that the commercial dispersion itself contains a water/1-propanol solvent mixture. (LLM, conf=0.87)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • Order of ingredients mixing influences size of agglomerates in catalyst ink and material stability through affecting interaction sequence of catalyst, ionomer, and solvent.

    “Although only a few studies on the effect of the order of ingredients mixing during the ink preparation process exist, it has an influence on the size of agglomerates in the catalyst ink and the material stability through affecting the interaction sequence of catalyst, ionomer, and solvent [154,155].”

    From Effect of Catalyst Ink and Formation Process on the Multiscale Structure of Catalyst Layers in PEM Fuel Cells (2022) · cites this paper as [155]

    The Results and Discussion (page unavailable) say that adding Nafion solution to Pt/C without first adding enough water could damage the carbon support, and that detached Pt particles may aggregate in the ink. This supports a possible effect of ingredient-addition sequence on material integrity, but the paper does not show that mixing order changes agglomerate size; its reported cluster-size differences concern Nafion loading in the finished catalyst layer. (LLM, conf=0.86)

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Cited by

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Related

Authors
Sun, C.-N., More, K. L., Veith, G. M., & Zawodzinski, T. A.
Affiliations
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (US)
ORCID
Venue
Journal of The Electrochemical Society
Publisher
The Electrochemical Society
Published
2013
Volume
160
Issue
9
Pages
F1000-F1005
ISSN
  • 0013-4651 (ISSN-L)
  • 1945-7111
DOI
10.1149/2.055309jes
OpenAlex
W2059607905
Cited by
28
References
35
Citations by year
2025: 1 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 4 · 2019: 1 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 3 · 2015: 5 · 2014: 1
FWCI
1.80
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
Journal of The Electrochemical Society (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • U.S. Department of Energy
  • Battelle
  • UT-Battelle
  • Basic Energy Sciences
  • Oak Ridge National Laboratory
  • Los Alamos National Laboratory
  • Division of Materials Sciences and Engineering
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Engineering › Electrical and Electronic Engineering › Fuel Cells and Related Materials
  • Physical Sciences › Energy › Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment › Electrocatalysts for Energy Conversion
  • Physical Sciences › Materials Science › Materials Chemistry › Advancements in Solid Oxide Fuel Cells
Keywords
proton exchange membrane fuel cells, catalyst layer, ionomer loading, Nafion, platinum catalysts, Vulcan carbon, pore structure, water transport, relative humidity, ionomer swelling, carbon fillers, microporosity, water absorption, proton transport

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