Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society (전기화학회지)

The Korean Electrochemical Society (한국전기화학회)
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Optimum Ratio between Nafion and 20, 40 wt% Pt/C Catalysts for MEAs

20, 40 wt% Pt/C 촉매를 사용한 MEA제조에서 나피온의 최적비

  • Jung, Ju-Hae (School of Chemical Engineering & Bioengineering, University of Ulsan) ;
  • Jung, Dong-Won (School of Chemical Engineering & Bioengineering, University of Ulsan) ;
  • Kim, Jun-Bom (School of Chemical Engineering & Bioengineering, University of Ulsan)
  • 정주해 (울산대학교 생명화학공학부) ;
  • 정동원 (울산대학교 생명화학공학부) ;
  • 김준범 (울산대학교 생명화학공학부)
  • Received : 2011.01.07
  • Accepted : 2011.02.25
  • Published : 2011.02.28
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Abstract

To enhance the performance of a MEA (membrane electrode assembly) in a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC), optimum contents of Nafion ionomer as electrolyte in the 20 and 40 wt% Pt/C used in electrodes were examined. Variety characterization techniques were applied to examine optimum Nafion contents: cell performance test, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and cyclic voltammetry (CV). According to Pt wt% supported on carbon support, it has been observed that polarization, ohmic, and mass transfer resistances were changed so that the cell performance was significantly dependent on the content of Nafion ionomer. Optimum Nafion ionomer contents in the 20 wt% Pt/C and 40 wt% Pt/C were showed 35 wt% and 20 wt%, respectively. This is due to different surface area of the Pt/C catalyst, and formation of triple phase boundary seems to be affected by the Nafion contents.

Pt/C 촉매 (20, 40 wt% Pt/C)를 사용하여 고분자 전해질 연료전지의 MEA를 제조하고 각각의 촉매에서 최적의 나피온 이오노머 함량을 알아보았다. 나피온 함량에 따른 MEA의 전기화학적인 성능변화는 단위전지 성능평가, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), cyclic voltammetry(CV)을 통해서 분석하였다. 나피온의 함량에 따라 전지의 활성화 분극, 옴 저항, 물질전달 저항 등의 변화가 나타났다. 이는 전극의 촉매층 내에서 발생되는 전기/이온 전도도 사이의 'trade-off'와 물질전달(물 배출과 반응가스 확산)에 의한 것이며, 대부분 활성화 분극과 물질전달 저항의 변화로 나타났다. 20 wt% Pt/C와 40 wt% Pt/C 촉매에서 최적의 나피온 함량은 각각 35 wt%와 20 wt%로 나타났다. 이는 Pt 중량비에 따른 Pt 입자간의 거리 및 촉매의 비표면적의 차이 때문에 나타난 결과이며 서로 다른 나피온 함량에서 최적의 삼상계면이 형성되는 것으로 판단된다.

Keywords

References

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  2. Effects of ionomer content on Pt catalyst/ordered mesoporous carbon support in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells vol.222, 2013, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2012.09.012