In-situ resistance measurements of Nafion® 117 membranes in polymer electrolyte fuel cells

The resistance of the Nafion® 117 membrane in $\text{H}{}_2\text{O}{}_2$ and $\text{H}{}_2\text{air}$ polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFCs) has been measured in situ using fast current pulses. The dependence of the membrane resistance on current density, temperature, pressure and flow-field design was investigated. It was found that, independent of other variations, the resistance increases with increasing current density. When the current density in the cell is increased from 0.2 to 0.7 A cm^?2, the membrane resistance increases by up to 22%. Even on open circuit the resistance at 60°C is 15%–35% higher than that measured ex situ, indicating that the membrane is not fully hydrated under the fuel cell operating conditions. The resistance on open circuit also depends on the design of the flow field. In a design with forced gas convection the resistance at 60°C is substantially higher (210 mΩ cm²) than in a design without forced convection (186 mΩ cm²).     

Theory for water management in membranes for polymer electrolyte fuel cells: Part 2. The effect of impurity ions at the cathode side on the membrane performances

Performance degradation in membranes for polymer electrolyte fuel cells was discussed theoretically for the case where the membrane is contaminated with foreign impurity cations at the cathode side. Water transport in a two-cation system membrane was considered by assuming an ‘infected zone’ of finite thickness. Four kinds of boundary value problems were solved, and analytical formulae derived for the water concentration profile across the membrane. The water content in the membrane, the net water flux and the membrane resistance overvoltage were calculated systematically as functions of several relevant parameters in fuel cell operations. Localized contamination at the cathode ∣ membrane interface turned out to be even more serious than the uniform contamination of the membrane or localized contamination at the anode side. It is noted that special caution should be directed in order to avoid the membrane contamination, especially at the cathode side, because contaminant will easily enter from the air stream through the cathode compartment of a fuel cell.