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Fuel cell performance using a phosphonated polysulphone ionomer (PSUgPVPA) in the PEM cathode electrode

Wreland Lindström, Rakel ; Guerrero Aguinaga, Luis ; Oyarce, Alejandro ; Ubeda, Diego ; Ingratta, Mark LU ; Jannasch, Patric LU orcid and Lindbergh, Göran (2013) In ECS Transactions 45(23). p.33-45
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 (CL) was electrochemically characterized and compared to Nafion. The performance at different levels of humidity at 80 ºC was evaluated by polarization and cyclic voltammetry. The results show that the performance of the PSUgPVPA-based cathode CL is comparable to that of Nafion at 100% relative humidity (RH) but with some instabilities. However, at drier... (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 (CL) was electrochemically characterized and compared to Nafion. The performance at different levels of humidity at 80 ºC was evaluated by polarization and cyclic voltammetry. The results show that the performance of the PSUgPVPA-based cathode CL 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, concomitant to a reduced electrochemical surface area. The lower performance at low humidity is concluded to be due to a combination of lower proton conductivity and wettability or interference with oxygen reduction reaction at lower RH. (Less)
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author
; ; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
ECS Transactions
volume
45
issue
23
pages
33 - 45
publisher
Electrochemical Society
external identifiers
  • scopus:84885807043
  • wos:000325202900004
ISSN
1938-6737
DOI
10.1149/04523.0033ecst
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
ce2754e4-38a0-4c0e-913f-1eaea6f5f228 (old id 3734744)
alternative location
http://ecst.ecsdl.org/content/45/23/33.abstract?sid=066a24f0-3cbc-46ea-9798-3a1439fb0a1d
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 10:52:38
date last changed
2022-01-26 03:23:24
@article{ce2754e4-38a0-4c0e-913f-1eaea6f5f228,
  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 (CL) was electrochemically characterized and compared to Nafion. The performance at different levels of humidity at 80 ºC was evaluated by polarization and cyclic voltammetry. The results show that the performance of the PSUgPVPA-based cathode CL 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, concomitant to a reduced electrochemical surface area. The lower performance at low humidity is concluded to be due to a combination of lower proton conductivity and wettability or interference with oxygen reduction reaction at lower RH.}},
  author       = {{Wreland Lindström, Rakel and Guerrero Aguinaga, Luis and Oyarce, Alejandro and Ubeda, Diego and Ingratta, Mark and Jannasch, Patric and Lindbergh, Göran}},
  issn         = {{1938-6737}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{23}},
  pages        = {{33--45}},
  publisher    = {{Electrochemical Society}},
  series       = {{ECS Transactions}},
  title        = {{Fuel cell performance using a phosphonated polysulphone ionomer (PSUgPVPA) in the PEM cathode electrode}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1149/04523.0033ecst}},
  doi          = {{10.1149/04523.0033ecst}},
  volume       = {{45}},
  year         = {{2013}},
}