• 대한기계학회논문집B
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• 제36권6호
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• pp.625-632
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• 2012

본 논문은 고분자 전해질 연료전지 공기극 유로 내부에서 당량비에 따라 발생하는 플러딩 현상을 가시화를 통해 확인하고, 전류 변화에 따른 물의 운송 특성에 관한 연구를 수행하였다. 공기극 당량비는 1.5, 2.0, 연료극 당량비는 1.5로 고정하여 실험을 수행하였다. 연료전지 공기측 당량비 2.0로 공급하였을 때 1.5와 비교하여 짧은 시간에 물이 생성되기 시작하였으며, 플러딩 영역이 빠르게 생성되는 결과가 나타났다. 또한, 공기극 당량비 1.5로 유지하는 경우 플러딩 영역 이후에 건조화 7.8A 이후 구간에서 건조화가 진행되며, 8A 이후구간에서 건조화가 시작되는 공기극 당량비 2.0에서 작동하는 연료전지와 비교하여 넓은 영역에서 물 생성이 활발하게 이루어져 MEA의 내구성과 수소이온전도도가 우수한 결과를 확인하였다.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국신재생에너지학회 2009년도 춘계학술대회 논문집
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• pp.288-294
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• 2009

Various polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) startup procedures were tested to explore possible techniques for reducing performance decay and improving durability during repeated startup-shutdown cycles. The effects of applying a dummy load, which prevents cell reversal by consuming the air at the cathode, on the degradation of a membrane electrode assembly (MEA) were investigated via single cell experiments. The electrochemical results showed that application of a dummy load during the startup procedure significantly reduced the performance decay, the decrease in the electrochemically active surface area (EAS), and the increase in the charge transfer resistance ($R_{ct}$), which resulted in a dramatic improvement in durability. After 1200 startup-shutdown cycles, post-mortem analyses were carried out to investigate the degradation mechanisms via various physicochemical methods including FESEM, an on-line $CO_2$ analysis, EPMA, XRD, FETEM, SAED, FTIR. After 1200 startup-shutdown cycles, severe Pt particle sintering/agglomeration/dissolution and carbon corrosion were observed at the cathode catalyst layer when starting up a PEMFC without a dummy load, which significantly contributed to a loss of Pt surface area, and thus to cell performance degradation. However, applying a dummy load during the startup procedure remarkably mitigated such severe degradations, and should be used to increase the durability of MEAs in PEMFCs. Our results suggest that starting up PEMFCs while applying a dummy load is an effective method for mitigating performance degradation caused by reverse current under a repetition of unprotected startup cycles.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• 제51권3호
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• pp.370-375
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• 2013

상업용 막전극접합체를 사용하여 제작한 고분자전해질 연료전지의 CO poisoning 및 air bleeding 효과가 스택의 셀전압 성능에 미치는 영향을 분석하였다. 실험을 통해 확보한 동적 응답 데이터에 일차 미분방정식으로 표현되는 일차계 모델을 적용하여 정상상태 이득과 시간상수를 계산하는 방법으로 스택 셀전압의 응답 특성을 정량화하였다. 연료전지 개질기로부터 공급되는 개질 가스에 포함된 CO 농도가 1 ppm 증가할 때마다 셀전압은 1.3~1.6 mV 저하되고, CO 농도의 변화폭이 클수록 정상상태에 도달하기까지 걸리는 시간이 점점 짧아지는 것으로 분석되었다. CO poisoning에 의해 저하된 스택 성능을 회복시키기 위해 air bleeding을 수행할 경우, 주입하는 공기의 농도를 증가시킬수록 셀전압 상승폭(정상상태 이득)이 커지고 회복시간(시간상수)은 짧아지나, 1% 수준의 air bleeding만으로도 CO poisoning이 일어나기 전 셀전압의 87%~96%를 1~30 min 이내에 회복시킬 수 있는 것으로 분석되었다.

• 신재생에너지
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• 제17권2호
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• pp.50-58
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• 2021

We proposed an MEA development methodology that accurately measures intrinsic MEA performance while considering the uneven reaction environments formed inside a large-area BP. To facilitate measurement of the inherent MEA performance, we miniaturized the active area of the MEA to 3 cm², and prepared two MEAs with different ionomer contents of 0.65 and 0.80 (I/C). By simulating the operating conditions of a 100 cm² BP at the inlet (I), center (C), and outlet (O), the oxygen concentration and relative humidity were determined to be 20.7, 13.8, 11.7%, and 50, 66.1, and 70.1% respectively. We measured the performance and electrochemical analysis of the prepared MEAs under the three simulated conditions. Based on the results of statistical analysis of the evaluated MEA performance data, I/C 0.65 MEA had a higher average performance and lower performance deviation than I/C 0.80 MEA. Hence, it can be concluded that an I/C 0.65 MEA is a more effective MEA for large-area BP. Based on the above research process, we confirmed the effectiveness of the proposed MEA development methodology.

• 공업화학
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• 제33권6호
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• pp.618-623
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• 2022

분리판은 반응물 및 전자를 전달하고 부산물인 물과 열을 배출하며, 막전극접합체의 지지체 역할을 하는 고분자전해질 연료전지의 핵심 구성요소이다. 따라서 분리판의 유로 구조는 연료전지의 성능을 향상시키는데 중요한 역할을 한다. 본 연구에서는 압축률이 다른 구리 폼을 cathode 분리판에 적용한 25 cm² 단위 전지를 이용하여 성능 평가를 수행하였다. 금속 폼의 압축률이 증가할수록 총 저항이 감소하였으며, 특히 전하전달과 물질전달 저항이 사형 유로에 비해 크게 개선되어 중전류밀도 및 고전류밀도 영역에서 전압 손실을 줄일 수 있었다. 가압한 공기를 사용한 사형 유로 구조의 경우 연료전지의 성능이 압축한 금속 폼(S3)을 적용한 유로와 중전류밀도 영역까지는 큰 차이가 없었으나, 고전류밀도 영역에서는 유로 구조의 한계로 낮은 성능을 보였다.

• 공업화학
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• 제35권1호
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• pp.16-22
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• 2024

고분자전해질막 연료전지는 작동온도가 낮아, 다른 종류의 연료전지에 비해 빠른 시동과 응답 특성을 가진다는 장점이 있다. 시뮬레이션 연구는 비용과 시간 측면에서 이점이 있어 활발하게 연구되고 있다. 본 연구에서는 기존의 수식에 단위전지의 기체확산층에 잔류하는 물의 저항을 추가하여 실제 데이터와 모델데이터를 비교했다. 실험은 25 cm² 단위 전지로 진행됐으며, 1차 임피던스 측정, 활성화, 분극곡선 데이터 획득 후 정지 시간을 0, 10, 60분으로 가지는 샘플로 나눠 실험했다. 이는 기체확산층 내부의 잔류 중인 물이 증발할 시간을 0분, 10분, 60분 부여했다고 볼 수 있다. 휴식기간을 가지지 않는 경우, 같은 전위 및 같은 유량에서 성능 향상의 폭은 큰 차이를 보이지 않았으나, 휴식기간을 가진 막전극 접합체의 경우 임피던스 측정 시 성능 향상이 확인되었다. 저항 감소크기를 과전압으로 바꿔, 연료전지모델에 잔류수가 존재할 경우와 존재하지 않을 경우의 전압 차이를 비교했으며 그 결과로 농도손실이 주를 이루는 고전류밀도 영역의 오차율이 줄어든 것을 확인하였다.

• 한국수소및신에너지학회논문집
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• 제21권1호
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• pp.26-34
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• 2010

The electrocatalystic prperties of Pt-Co and Pt-Ni with heteropolyacids (HPAs) entrapped in covalently cross-linked sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) (CL-SPEEK)/HPA membranes were investigated for water electrolysis. The HP As, including molybdophosphoric acid (MoPA), and tungstophosphoric acid (TPA) were both used as membrane additives and electrocatalysts. The membrane electrode assembly (MEA) was prepared by a nonequilibrium impregnation-reduction (I-R) method. $Pt(NH_3)_4Cl_2$, $NiCl_2$ and $CoCl_2$ as electrocatalytic materials and $NaBH_4$ as reducing agent were used. I order to enhance electrocatalytic activity, the catalyst layer prepared above was electrodeposited (Dep) with HP A. Surface morphologies and physico-chemical properties of MEA were investigated by means of SEM, EDX and XRD. The electrocatalytic properties of composite membranes such as the cell voltage and coulombic charge in CV were in the order of magnitude: CL-SPEEK/MoPA40 (wt%) > CL-SPEEK/TPA30 > Nafion117. In the optimum cell applications for water electrolysis, the cell voltage of Pt/CL-SPEEK-MoPA40/Pt-Co (Dep-MoPA) and Pt/CL-SPEEK-TPA30/Pt-Co (Dep-TPA) was 1.75 Vat $80^{\circ}C$ and $1\;A/cm^2$ and voltage efficiency was 87.1%. Also, the observed activity of Pt-Co (84:16 atomic ratio by EDX) is a little higher than that of Pt-Ni (86: 14). The current density peak of electrodeposited electrodes were better a little than those of unactivated electrodes based on the same membranes.

• 한국수소및신에너지학회논문집
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• 제16권1호
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• pp.31-39
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• 2005

Direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) is considered as a candidate for portable power sources, that could overcome the disadvantages of lithium battery. But in order to attain commercial viability the long term stability of the DMFC should be achieved. Understanding the long-term behavior of membrane-electrode assembly (MEA) is a prerequisite to this purpose and the optimization of the MEA is also needed. In this study we have investigated the changes in performance and electrochemical properties of the MEA during extended operation and the effects of heat treatment of MEA on the long-term performance. The MEAs have been treated in an autoclave with saturated water vapor at 120$^{\circ}C$, vacuum oven at 140$^{\circ}C$ and boiling in organic solvents. The autoclaved MEA was found to be have the best long term performance. The on-off operation mode also increased the performance probably due to effective removal of products from the electrodes. Physical and electrochemical analyses using a scanning electron microscope, impedance analyser and half-cell technique have been done to characterize the MEAs.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• 제33권10호
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• pp.3279-3284
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• 2012

Poly(benzimidazole-co-benzoxazole)s (PBI-co-PBO) are synthesized by polycondensation reaction with 3,3'-diaminobenzidine, terephthalic acid and 3,3'-dihydroxybenzidine or 4,6-diaminoresorcinol in polyphosphoric acid (PPA). All polymer membranes are prepared by the direct casting method (in-situ fabrication). The introduction of benzoxazole units (BO units) into a polymer backbone lowers the basic property and $H_3PO_4$ doping level of the copolymer membranes, resulting in the improvement of mechanical strength. The proton conductivity of $H_3PO_4$ doped PBI-co-PBO membranes decrease as a result of adding amounts of BO units. The maximum tensile strength reaches 4.1 MPa with a 10% molar ratio of BO units in the copolymer. As a result, the $H_3PO_4$ doped PBI-co-PBO membranes could be utilized as alternative proton exchange membranes in high temperature polymer electrolyte fuel cells.

• 한국진공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국진공학회 2016년도 제50회 동계 정기학술대회 초록집
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• pp.102-102
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• 2016

Water, which is most abundant in Earth surface and very closely related to all forms of living organisms, has a simple molecular structure but exhibits very unique physical and chemical properties. Even though tremendous effort has been paid to understand this nature's core substance, there amazingly still lefts much room for scientist to explore its novel behaviors. Especially, as the scale goes down to nano-regime, water shows extraordinary properties that are not observable in bulk state. One of such interesting features is the formation of nanoscale bubbles showing unusual long-term stability. Nanobubbles can be spontaneously formed in water on hydrophobic surface or by decompression of gas-saturated liquid. In addition, the nanobubbles can be generated during electrochemical reaction at normal hydrogen electrode (NHE), which possibly distorts the standard reduction potential at NHE as the surface nanobubble screens the reaction with electrolyte solution. However, the real-time evolution of these nanobubbles has been hardly studied owing to the lack of proper imaging tools in liquid phase at nanoscale. Here we demonstrate, for the first time, that the behaviors of nanobubbles can be visualized by in situ transmission electron microscope (TEM), utilizing graphene as liquid cell membrane. The results indicate that there is a critical radius that determines the long-term stability of nanobubbles. In addition, we find two different pathways of nanobubble growth: i) Ostwald ripening of large and small nanobubbles and ii) coalescence of similar-sized nanobubbles. We also observe that the nucleation and growth of nanoparticles and the self-assembly of biomolecules are catalyzed at the nanobubble interface. Our finding is expected to provide a deeper insight to understand unusual chemical, biological and environmental phenomena where nanoscale gas-state is involved.