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Performance of phosphonated hydrocarbon ionomer in the fuel cell cathode catalyst layer

Lindström, Rakel Wreland ; Oyarce, Alejandro ; Aguinaga, Luis Guerrero ; Ubeda, Diego ; Ingratta, Mark LU ; Jannasch, Patric LU orcid and Lindbergh, Göran (2013) In Journal of the Electrochemical Society 160(3). p.269-277
Abstract
Inexpensive and environmentally friendly electrolyte polymers that can be operated at higher temperatures and drier conditions are highly interesting for PEM fuel cells for automotive, portable power and stationary electricity generation applications. In this study an ionomer based on polysulfone grafted with poly(vinylphosphonic acid) (PSUgPVPA) in the cathode Pt/C catalyst layer was electrochemically characterized and compared to Nafion. The performance at different levels of humidity at 80◦C was evaluated by polarization measurements, cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The results show that the performance of the PSUgPVPA-based cathode catalyst layer is comparable to that of Nafion at 100% relative... (More)
Inexpensive and environmentally friendly electrolyte polymers that can be operated at higher temperatures and drier conditions are highly interesting for PEM fuel cells for automotive, portable power and stationary electricity generation applications. In this study an ionomer based on polysulfone grafted with poly(vinylphosphonic acid) (PSUgPVPA) in the cathode Pt/C catalyst layer was electrochemically characterized and compared to Nafion. The performance at different levels of humidity at 80◦C was evaluated by polarization measurements, cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The results show that the performance of the PSUgPVPA-based cathode catalyst layer is comparable to that of Nafion at 100% relative humidity (RH) but with some instabilities. However, at drier conditions significant losses of performance for the PSUgPVPA-based cathode was observed. This could be an effect of catalyst poisoning by the ionomer interfering with ORR. However, the concomitant decrease of the electrochemical surface area, double layer capacitance and increased imaginary impedance, indicate that the poorer performance at low humidity is mainly an effect of reduced catalyst wetting by the ionomer in combination with the decreased proton conduction in the ionomeric phase. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Journal of the Electrochemical Society
volume
160
issue
3
pages
269 - 277
publisher
Electrochemical Society
external identifiers
  • wos:000315307500044
  • scopus:84875455943
ISSN
0013-4651
DOI
10.1149/2.046303jes
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
This was Paper 1079 presented at the Seattle, Washington, Meeting of the Society, May 6-10, 2012.
id
99edb688-72d1-4f0d-b088-3cf38e295e50 (old id 3350637)
alternative location
http://jes.ecsdl.org/content/160/3/F269
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 10:08:44
date last changed
2022-04-12 02:22:46
@article{99edb688-72d1-4f0d-b088-3cf38e295e50,
  abstract     = {{Inexpensive and environmentally friendly electrolyte polymers that can be operated at higher temperatures and drier conditions are highly interesting for PEM fuel cells for automotive, portable power and stationary electricity generation applications. In this study an ionomer based on polysulfone grafted with poly(vinylphosphonic acid) (PSUgPVPA) in the cathode Pt/C catalyst layer was electrochemically characterized and compared to Nafion. The performance at different levels of humidity at 80◦C was evaluated by polarization measurements, cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The results show that the performance of the PSUgPVPA-based cathode catalyst layer is comparable to that of Nafion at 100% relative humidity (RH) but with some instabilities. However, at drier conditions significant losses of performance for the PSUgPVPA-based cathode was observed. This could be an effect of catalyst poisoning by the ionomer interfering with ORR. However, the concomitant decrease of the electrochemical surface area, double layer capacitance and increased imaginary impedance, indicate that the poorer performance at low humidity is mainly an effect of reduced catalyst wetting by the ionomer in combination with the decreased proton conduction in the ionomeric phase.}},
  author       = {{Lindström, Rakel Wreland and Oyarce, Alejandro and Aguinaga, Luis Guerrero and Ubeda, Diego and Ingratta, Mark and Jannasch, Patric and Lindbergh, Göran}},
  issn         = {{0013-4651}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{3}},
  pages        = {{269--277}},
  publisher    = {{Electrochemical Society}},
  series       = {{Journal of the Electrochemical Society}},
  title        = {{Performance of phosphonated hydrocarbon ionomer in the fuel cell cathode catalyst layer}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1149/2.046303jes}},
  doi          = {{10.1149/2.046303jes}},
  volume       = {{160}},
  year         = {{2013}},
}