• Korean Journal of Metals and Materials
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• v.46 no.12
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• pp.817-822
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• 2008

Metal matrix composite (MMC) materials having low electrical contact resistance based on 316L stainless steel (STS) matrix alloy with $ZrB_2$ particles were fabricated for PEMFC (Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell) separator by powder metallurgy (PM). The effects of the boride particle addition into the matrix alloy on microstructure, surface morphology, and interfacial contact resistance (ICR) between the samples and gas diffusion layer (GDL) were investigated. Both conventional and PM 316L STS samples showed high ICR due to the existence of non-conductive passive film on the alloy surface. The addition of the boride particles, however, remarkably reduced ICR of the samples. SEM observation revealed that the boride particles were protruded out of the matrix surface and particle density existing on the surface increased with increasing the boride content, causing increase of the total contact area between the conductive particles and GDL. ICR of the samples also decreased with increasing the boride content resulted from the increased contact area.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.57 no.2
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• pp.172-176
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• 2019

A benthic microbial fuel cells(BMFC) is fuel cell using electricity produced by decomposing organic matter in a sea or a lake. In this study, we used a gas diffusion layer (GDL) of a polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEMFC) as a BMFC electrode to find out the operation conditions with high performance. The performance of BMFC was increased as resistance of external resistor increased. It was possible to maintain the performance by avoiding the increase of the contact resistance with the electrode due to corrosion of the lead wire in seawater. The bubble generator was able to increase the maximum power density by more than 2 times and the optimum operating temperature was $40^{\circ}C$.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Visualization
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.45-50
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• 2010

The objective of this study is to elucidate the feasibility of synchrotron X-ray micro CT as a non-destructive imaging method to visualize the three-dimensional morphological structures of biological and non-biological samples. The experiments were conducted in 7B2 X-ray micro CT beamline in Pohang Accelerate Laboratory (PAL). A rotational 3-axis stage was specially designed for $0^{\circ}-180^{\circ}$ scanning of test samples. Preliminary tests were performed for opaque samples including a mosquito head, a plant seed and gas diffusion layer (GDL) of polymer electrolyte fuel cell to verify the feasibility of the X-ray micro CT. It visualized clearly the internal structure of all the test samples, supporting its usefulness.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society For Composite Materials Conference
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.175-178
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• 2003

Mechanical behavior of a fuel stack was studied by the orthotropic material model. The fuel stack is mainly composed of bipolar plate (BP), gasket, end plate, membrane electrolyte assembly (MEA), and gas diffusion layer (GDL). Each component is fastened with a suitable pressure. It is very important to maintain a suitable contact pressure of BP, because it affects the efficiency of the fuel cell. This study compared mechanical behavior of various fastening types of the fuel cell stack. Bar, band, and modified band fastening type are used. The band fastening type showed that it reduces total volume of the cell, but it does not improve the contact pressure distribution of each BP. The modified band fastening type was designed by considering the deformations of band fastening type, and it showed a good enhancement of contact pressure distribution.

• 한국가시화정보학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2007.11a
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• pp.155-158
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• 2007

Water management for Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cell (PEFC) has been receiving large attention as an important issue in practical applications. Proper water management is vital to achieve high performance and durability of PEFC. In this study, an X-ray imaging technique was employed to visualize the water distribution in a PEFC quantitatively. X-ray images of the PEFC components with and without water are distinguished clearly. From the visualized X-ray images, we could confirm the water distribution in the region between separator and gas diffusion layer (GDL). In addition, the contact angle of water in the micro-channels was also clearly visualized..

• Corrosion Science and Technology
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.224-232
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• 2014

Effect of pretreatments on the graphene coated bipolar plate of proton exchange membrane fuel cell(PEMFC) was investigated in simulated environments for PEMFC by using electrochemical measurement techniques. Interfacial contact resistance(ICR) between the graphene coated bipolar plate and the gas diffusion layer(GDL) was measured. The value of ICR decreased with an increase in compaction stress($20N/cm^2{\sim}220N/cm^2$). ICR of graphene coated bipolar plate was higher than that of bare 316L stainless steel. However, Potentiodynamic measurement results showed that the corrosion resistance of graphene coated bipolar plate was higher than that of bare 316L stainless steel. $H_2SO_4$ acid pretreatment was the most effective among various pretreatments. The lowest ICR and the corrosion current density were obtained when using $H_2SO_4$ solution pretreatment.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Visualization
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.33-38
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• 2007

Water management in polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEFC) has been receiving large attention as an important issue in practical applications. Proper water management is vital to achieve high performance and durability of PEFC. In this study, an X-ray imaging technique was employed to visualize the water distribution in a PEFC quantitatively. X-ray images of the PEFC components with and without water were distinguished clearly. From the visualized X-ray images, we could evaluate the water distribution in the region between separator and gas diffusion layer (GDL) quantitatively. In addition, the contact angle of water in the micro-channels was also clearly visualized.

• Corrosion Science and Technology
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.92-107
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• 2016

Graphene was coated on austenitic and martensitic stainless steels to simulate the metallic bipolar plate of proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC). Graphene oxide (GO) was synthesized and was reduced to reduced graphene oxide (rGO) via a hydrazine process. rGO was confirmed by FE-SEM, Raman spectroscopy and XPS. Interfacial contact resistance (ICR) between the bipolar plate and the gas diffusion layer (GDL) was measured to confirm the electrical conductivity. Both ICR and corrosion current density decreased on graphene coated stainless steels. Corrosion resistance was also improved with immersion time in cathodic environments and satisfied the criteria of the Department of Energy (DOE), USA. The total concentrations of metal ions dissolved from graphene coated stainless steels were reduced. Furthermore hydrophobicity was improved by increasing the contact angle.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society For Composite Materials Conference
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• 2004.04a
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• pp.206-209
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• 2004

Mechanical behavior of a fuel stack was studied using an orthotropic material model. The fuel stack is essentially composed of a bipolar plate (BP), a gasket, an end plate, a membrane electrolyte assembly (MEA), and a gas diffusion layer (GDL). Each component is fastened with a suitable pressure. It is important to maintain a suitable contact pressure distribution of BP, because it influences the power efficiency of the fuel cell stack. When it is exposed to high temperature, its behavior must be stable. Hence, we performed stress analysis at high temperature as well as at room temperature. At high temperature, the contact pressure distribution becomes poor. Many patents have shown that using an elastomer can overcome this phenomena. Its effect was also studied. By using an elastomer, we found a good contact pressure distribution at high temperature as well as at room temperature.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.347-352
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• 2006

분자전해질연료전지 내의 다공성 기체확산층은 반응가스의 확산과 전자이동통로의 역할을 수행할 뿐만 아니라 전기화학반응에 의해 공기극에서 생성된 수분(기상 혹은 액상)을 반응면으로부터 분리판 채널 방향으로 이동시켜 배출시키는 중요한 역할을 한다. 따라서 물관리를 통한 성능향상을 위해서는 기체 확산층의 구조 및 재료특성에 대한 심도 릴은 연구가 필요하다. 실제 단위전지 체결시 기체확산층은 분리판의 리브(rib)에 의해 눌리게 되며, 그 부분의 기공 크기 분포의 변화를 야기한다. 또한 리브 전단부분에서 탄소 섬유가 손상을 입으며, 탄소 섬유를 감싸고 있는 PTFE coating이 벗겨지게 되어 표면화학적 특성이 달라진다. 본 연구에서는 단위전지 체결 시 분리판에 의해 눌리는 기체확산층의 기공 크기 분포 변화를 측정하였으며, 기공의 소수성에서 친수성으로의 변화를 알아보았다. Mercury 기공 측정기와 PMI 기공 측정기는 큰 기공 분포의 변화에, 질소의 흡/탈착을 이용한 BET 방식은 작은 크기의 기공 분포 변화 관찰에 사용되었다. 체결압에 의한 탄소섬유의 구조적 변화와 아울러 표면의 습윤 정도의 변화를 XPS와 물/알콜 Uptake를 이용해 알아보았다. 이 연구를 바탕으로 물관리를 통한 연료전지 성능 향상을 위한 최적 GDL 선정에 기반이 되는 자료를 도출하였다.