• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.7-14
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• 2017

This study aims to examine the influences of substrates/diffusion layers (DL) and oxygen reduction reaction catalysts ($M_{ORR}$) on the performance of $M_{ORR}/IrO_2$/DL-type bifunctional oxygen electrodes for use in polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM)-type unitized regenerative fuel cells (URFC). The $M_{ORR}/IrO_2$/DL electrodes were prepared via two sequential steps: anodic electrodeposition of $IrO_2$ on various DLs and fabrication of $M_{ORR}$ layers (Pt, Pd, and Pt-Ru) by spraying on $IrO_2/DL$. Experiments using different DLs, with Pt as the $M_{ORR}$, revealed that the roughness factor of the DL mainly determined the electrode performance for both water electrolyzer (WE) and fuel cell (FC) operations, while the contributions of porosity and substrate material were insignificant. When Pt-Ru was utilized as the $M_{ORR}$ instead of Pt, WE performance was enhanced and the electrode performance was assessed by analyzing round-trip efficiencies (${\varepsilon}_{RT}$) at current densities of 0.2 and $0.4A/cm^2$. As a result, using Pt-Ru instead of Pt alone provided better ${\varepsilon}_{RT}$ at both current densities, while Pd resulted in very low ${\varepsilon}_{RT}$. Improved efficiency was related to the additional catalytic action by Ru toward ORR during WE operation.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.68-74
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• 2021

Gas diffusion layer (GDL) compression is important parameter of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) performance to have an effect on contact resistance, reactants transfer to electrode, water content in membrane and electrode assembly (MEA). In this study, the effect of GDL compression on fuel cell performance was investigated for commercial products, JNT20-A3. Polarization curve and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy was performed at different relative humidity and compression ratio using electrode area of 25 ㎠ unit cell. The contact resistance was reduced to 8, 30 mΩ·㎠ and membrane hydration was increased as GDL compression increase from 18.6% to 38.1% at relative humidity of 100 and 25%, respectively. It was identified through ohmic resistance change at relative humidity conditions that as GDL compression increased, water back-diffusion from cathode and electrolyte membrane hydration was increased because GDL porosity was decreased.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2005.06a
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• pp.330-334
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• 2005

고분자 전해질막 연료전지는 운전시 정상적인 성능을 발현하기 이해서 전지 본체 조립 후 초기 활성화 운전이 필요하다. 이러한 활성화 운전을 통해 전해질 사이의 수소이온이동 통로, 반응가스가 반응할 수 있는 촉매까지의 이동 통로, 촉매층내의 전기적 연속성을 확보함으로 연료전지는 최적의 성능을 나타낼 수 있다. 본 연구를 통해 연료전지 활성화에 영향을 미치는 요인을 찾았고, 이를 통해 효과적이고 빠른 활성화 절차에 관한 연구를 수행하였다.

• New & Renewable Energy
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• v.1 no.2 s.2
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• pp.34-40
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• 2005

고분자 전해질막 연료전지는 운전시 정상적인 성능을 발현하기 위해서 전지 본체 조립 후 초기 활성화 운전이 필요하다. 이러한 활성화 운전을 통해 전해질 사이의 수소이온이동 통로, 반응가스가 반응할 수 있는 촉매까지의 이동 통로, 촉매층내의 전기적 연속성을 확보함으로 연료전지는 최적의 성능을 나타낼 수 있다. 본 연구를 통해 연료전지 활성화에 영향을 미치는 요인을 찾았고, 이를 통해 효과적이고 빠른 활성화 절차에 관한 연구를 수행하였다.

• Macromolecular Research
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.379-384
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• 2007

Sulfonation of polyetheretherketones (PEEK) was carried out in order to fabricate commercial perfluorosulfonic acid membrane alternatives, which were characterized in terms of their ion exchange capacity, ionic conductivity, water swelling, methanol crossover and electrochemical performance in their direct application as a methanol fuel cell. A high ion exchange capacity, 1.88, was achieved with a sulfonation reaction time of 8 h, with a significantly low methanol crossover low compared to that of Nafion. However, the morphological stability was found to deteriorate for membranes with sulfonation reaction times exceeding 8 h. Electrochemical cell tests suggested that the fabrication parameters of the membrane electrode assembly based on the sulfonated PEEK membranes should be optimized with respect to the physicochemical properties of the newly prepared membranes.

• 한국전기화학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2001.06a
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• pp.157-160
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• 2001

• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.183-196
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• 2017

The research efforts directed at advancing water electrolysis technology continue to intensify together with the increasing interest in hydrogen as an alternative source of energy to fossil fuels. Among the various water electrolysis systems reported to date, systems employing a solid polymer electrolyte membrane are known to display both improved safety and efficiency as a result of enhanced separation of products: hydrogen and oxygen. Conducting water electrolysis in an alkaline medium lowers the system cost by allowing non-platinum group metals to be used as catalysts for the complex multi-electron transfer reactions involved in water electrolysis, namely the hydrogen and oxygen evolution reactions (HER and OER, respectively). We briefly review the anion exchange membranes (AEMs) and electrocatalysts developed and applied thus far in alkaline AEM water electrolysis (AEMWE) devices. Testing the developed components in AEMWE cells is a key step in maximizing the device performance since cell performance depends strongly on the structure of the electrodes containing the HER and OER catalysts and the polymer membrane under specific cell operating conditions. In this review, we discuss the properties of reported AEMs that have been used to fabricate membrane-electrode assemblies for AEMWE cells, including membranes based on polysulfone, poly(2,6-dimethyl-p-phylene) oxide, polybenzimidazole, and inorganic composite materials. The activities and stabilities of tertiary metal oxides, metal carbon composites, and ultra-low Pt-loading electrodes toward OER and HER in AEMWE cells are also described.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.295-300
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• 2007

A new characterization method using a porous plug model was proposed to determine the degree of sulfonation (DS) of ionomer binder with respect to the membrane used in membrane-electrode assemblies (MEAs) and to analyze the fraction of proton pathways through ionomer-catalyst combined electrodes in MEAs for polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFCs). Sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) was prepared to use a polymeric electrolyte and laboratory-made SPEEK solution (5wt.%, DMAc based) was added to catalyst slurry to form catalyst layers. In case of the SPEEK-based MEAs in this study, DS of ionomer binder for catalyst layers should be the same or higher than that of the SPEEK membrane used in the MEAs. The porous plug model suggested that most of protons were via the ionomer binder (${\sim}92.5%$) bridging the catalyst surface to the polymeric electrolyte, compared with the pathways through the alternative between the interstitial water on the surface of ionomer binder or catalyst and the ionomer binder (${\sim}7.3%$) and through only the interstitial water on the surface of ionomer or catalyst (${\sim}0.2%$) in the electrode of the MEA comprising of the sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) membrane and the 5wt.% SPEEK ionomer binder. As a result, it was believed that the majority of proton at both electrodeds moves through ionomer binder until reaching to electrolyte membrane. The porous plug model of the electrodes of MEAs reemphasized the importance of well-optimized structure of ionomer binder and catalyst for fuel cells.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2007.11a
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• pp.129-132
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• 2007

고분자 전해질 연료전지의 성능에 영향을 주는 많은 인자들 중에서도 촉매층의 조성과 구조의 최적화는 성능변화에 큰 요인으로 작용 된다. 촉매층내 반응 활성점인 삼상계면을 형성시키기 위해 함침하는 Nafion binder를 anode와 cathode의 두 전극에 이온당량(Equivalent weight, EW)이 동일하게 함침시켜 그 성능을 확인하였다. 그 결과를 토대로 anode와 cathode에 이온당량을 각기 다르게 하여 각각의 전극마다 이온당량이 미치는 영향에 대해서도 살펴보았다. Anode와 cathode의 이온당량을 동일하게 EW1100, EW1000, EW900으로 변화 시켜주었을 경우 이온당량의 물성치가 상대적으로 향상된 EW900의 단위 전지 성능이 가장 우수하였으며, 이온당량이 EW900이었을 때 최적의 Nafion binder 함침량은 EW1100의 Nafion binder 함침량과 동일하였다. Anode와 cathode에 함침하는 Nafion binder의 이온당량을 각각 EW1100과 EW900, EW900과 EW1100으로 MEA를 제조하여 전극에 따라 이용당량이 미치는 영향을 살펴보았다.

• Journal of Ceramic Processing Research
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• v.18 no.11
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• pp.810-814
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• 2017

Proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) are some of the most efficient electrochemical energy sources for transportation applications because of their clean, green, and high efficiency characteristics. The optimization of catalyst layer morphology is considered a feasible approach to achieve high performance of PEMFC membrane electrode assembly (MEA). In this work, we studied the effect of the solvent on the catalyst layer of PEMFC MEAs fabricated using the electrostatic spray deposition method. The catalyst ink comprised of Pt/C, a Nafion ionomer, and a solvent. Two types of solvent were used: isopropyl alcohol (IPA) and dimethylformamide (DMF). Compared with the catalyst layer prepared using IPA-based ink, the catalyst layer prepared with DMF-based ink had a dense structure because the DMF dispersed the Pt/C-Nafion agglomerates smaller and more homogeneously. The size distribution of the agglomerates in catalyst ink was confirmed through Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) and the microstructure of the catalyst layer was compared using field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM). In addition, the electrochemical investigation was performed to evaluate the solvent effect on the fuel cell performance. The catalyst layer prepared with DMF-based ink significantly enhanced the cell performance (1.2 A cm-2 at 0.5 V) compared with that fabricated using IPA-based ink (0.5 A cm-2 at 0.5 V) due to the better dispersion and uniform agglomeration on the catalyst layer.