On/off cycling test of low-temperature PEM fuel cell at fully humidified conditions

ABSTRACT

Accelerated stress testing is one of the most used approaches to characterize the performance and the degradation of the membrane electrode assembly (MEA) in low-temperature hydrogen polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFC). A standard JRC on/off testing procedure was used to characterize two sets of commercial MEAs, by ElectroChem and by PaxiTech, respectively. Performance characteristics prior to and after the on/off procedure were measured. The changes in the resistivity of the MEA were examined by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The EIS data were analyzed and interpreted by a suitable equivalent circuit that consisted of a resistor and the Voigt’s structure in series with constant phase elements. Water on the anode side and the cathode side of the PEMFC was collected during the on/off procedure. The fluoride emission rate was determined from the collected water to obtain information about the chemical degradation of the MEA samples.

KEYWORDS:

• Accelerated stress testing
• PEM fuel cell
• electrochemical impedance spectroscopy
• equivalent circuit
• fluoride emission rate
• polarization curve

Acknowledgments

The result was developed within the CENTEM project, reg. no. CZ.1.05/2.1.00/03.0088, cofunded by the ERDF as part of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports OP RDI programme and, in the follow-up sustainability stage, supported through CENTEM PLUS (LO1402) by financial means from the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports under the National Sustainability Programme I.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports under the National Sustainability Programme [LO1402]. The result was developed within the CENTEM project, reg. no. CZ.1.05/2.1.00/03.0088, co-funded by the ERDF as part of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports OP RDI programme and, in the follow-up sustainability stage, supported through CENTEM PLUS (LO1402) by financial means from the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports under the National Sustainability Programme I.