• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.81-88
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• 2010

Small size polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) stacks were prepared using carbon composite and graphite bipolar plates and their performances were evaluated on reactant gas and operating time. In comparison to single cell and stack, it was identified that home-made bipolar plate was well-designed to maximize stack performance as high as that of single cell. During long-term operation, the performances of stacks using two different kinds of bipolar plates were compared. The decrease of performance in both stacks was accelerated with increasing load current. It was observed from stack test that the stack performance using carbon composite bipolar plate was very similar to that using graphite bipolar plate.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.51 no.3
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• pp.370-375
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• 2013

We analyze the effects of CO poisoning and air bleeding on the performance of a PEM (polymer electrolyte membrane) fuel cell stack fabricated using commercial MEA (membrane electrode assembly). Dynamic response data from the experiments on the performance of a stack are identified by obtaining steady-state gains and time-constants of the first-order system model expressed as a first-order differential equation. It is found that the cell voltage of the stack decreases by 1.3-1.6 mV as the CO concentration rises by 1 ppm. The time elapsed to reach a new steady state after a change in the CO concentration is shortened as the magnitude of the change in the CO concentration increases. In general, the steady-state gain becomes bigger and the time-constant gets smaller with increasing the air concentration (air-bleeding level) in the reformate gas to restore the cell voltage. However, it is possible to recover 87%-96% of the original cell voltages, which are measured with free of CO, within 1-30 min by introducing the bleed air as much as 1% of the reformate gas into the stack.

• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
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• v.44 no.5
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• pp.173-178
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• 2011

Separator of stack in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) is high cost and heavy. If we make it low cost and lighter, it will have a great ripple. In this study, low carbon steel is used as base metal of separator because the cost of low carbon steel is very cheaper commercial metal material than stainless steels, which is widely used as separator. Low carbon steel has not a good corrosion resistance. In order to improve the corrosion resistance and electrolytic conductivity, low carbon steel needs to be surface treated. We made Chromium electroplated layer of $5{\mu}m$, $10{\mu}m$ thickness on the surface of low carbon steel and it was nitrided for 2 hours at $1000^{\circ}C$ in a furnace with 100 torr nitrogen gas pressure. Cross-sectional and surface microstructures of surface treated low carbon steel are investigated using SEM. And crystal structures are investigated by XRD. Interfacial contact resistance and corrosion tests were considered to simulate the internal operating conditions of PEMFC stack. The corrosion test was performed in 0.1 N $H_2SO_4$ + 2 ppm $F^-$ solution at $80^{\circ}C$. Throughout this research, we try to know that low carbon steel can be replaced stainless steel in separator of PEMFC.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.149-157
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• 2006

Hydrogen as new energy sources is highly efficient and have very low environmental emissions. The proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) is an emerging technology that can meet these demands. Therefore, the preparation of stable polymeric membranes with good proton conductivity and durability are very important for hydrogen production via water electrolysis with PEM at medium temperature above $80^{\circ}C$. Currently Nafion of Dupont and Aciflex of Asahi, etc., solid polymer electrolytes of perfluorosulfonic acid membrane, are the best performing commercially available polymer electrolytes. However, these membrane have several flaws including its high cost, and its limited operational temperature above $80^{\circ}C$. Because of this, significant research efforts have been devoted to the development of newer and cheaper membranes. In order to make up for the weak points and to improve the mechanical characteristics with cross -linking, acid-base complexes were prepared by the combination PSf-co-PPSS-$NH_2$ with PEEK-$SO_3H$. The results showed that the proton conductivity decreased in 17.6% and 40% but tensile strength increased in 78% and 98%, about $20.65\;{\times}\;10^6N/m^2$, in comparison with SBPSf/HPA and SPEEK/HPA complex membrane.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.673-681
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• 2023

Hydrocarbon-based polymer membranes to replace perfluorinated polymer membranes are being continuously researched. However, hydrocarbon-based membranes have a problem in that they are less durable than fluorine-based membranes. In this study, we sought to compare the annealing effect to improve the durability of sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) (SPEEK). After membranes formation, thermogravimetric analysis and tensile strength were measured to compare changes in membranes properties due to annealing. After manufacturing the membrane and electrode assembly (MEA), the initial performance and chemical durability was compared with unit cell operation. During the 24-hour annealing process, the strength increased due to the increase in-S-O-S-crosslinking, and the sulfonic acid group decreased, leading to a decrease in I-V performance. By annealing, the hydrogen permeability was reduced to less than 1/10 of that of the nafion membrane, and as a result, open circuit voltage (OCV) and durability was improved. The SPEEK membranes annealed for 24 hours showed higher durability than the nafion 211 membranes of the same thickness.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2011.11a
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• pp.87.1-87.1
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• 2011

For commercial applications, MEA development must be optimized in order to achieve high performance and low cost. There are many factors that affect the performance of MEA. Especially, the optimization of the method for preparing catalyst layer has great effect on the performance of MEA. Various methods have been used to prepare the catalyst layer of MEA. Among them, spraying method has a merit in that catalysis lay can be prepared with very flexible changes in catalyst layer as well as in the solvent composition of catalyst ink. In addition, in order to reduce the time required for manufacturing catalyst layer, an effort has been made to change the nozzle size and injection pressure of spray system. Further, the operation condition of spray system was changed in various ways in an effort to prepare optimum catalyst layer of MEA. Having optimized the operation condition of spraying system, comprehensive and diverse experiments were carried out concerning various factors that affect the performance of MEA. The present research report describes the results of more sub-categorized and more detailed experiments about the important factors (Nafion$^{(R)}$ ionomer, Relative humidity) which have been shown in previous experiments to exert greater effect on the performance of MEA.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2006.11a
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• pp.316-319
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• 2006

There is a worldwide interest in the development and commercialization of Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFCs) for vehicular and stationary applications. One of the major objectives is the reduction of loaded electrode materials, which is comprise of the Pt-based noble metals. In this paper, a novel chemical strategy is described for the preparation and characterization of carbon-supported and surface-alloys, which were prepared by using a successive reduction process. After preparing Au colloid nanoparticles, the deposition of Au colloid nanoparticles occurred spontaneously in the carbon black-dispersed aqueous solution. Then nano-scaled active materials were formed on the surface of carbon-supported Au nanoparticles. The structural and electrochemical analyses indicate that the active materials were deposited on the surface of Au nanoparticles selectively and that an at toying process occurred during the successive reducing process The carbon-supported & surface-alloys showed the higher electrocatalytic activity than those of the particle-alloys and commercial one (Johnson-Matthey) for the reaction of methanol and formic acid oxidation. The increased electrocatalytic activity might be attributed to the effective surface structure of surface-alloys, which have a high utilization of active materials for the surface reaction of electrode.

• New & Renewable Energy
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• v.2 no.4 s.8
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• pp.64-69
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• 2006

There is a worldwide interest in the development and commercialization of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells [PEMFCs] for vehicular and stationary applications. One of the major objectives is the reduction of loaded electrode materials, which is comprise of the Pt-based noble metals. In this paper, a novel chemical strategy is described for the preparation and characterization of carbon-supported and surface-alloys, which were prepared by using a successive reduction process. After preparing Au colloid nanoparticles, the supporting of Au colloid nanoparticles occurred spontaneously in the carbon black-dispersed aqueous solution. Then nano-scaled active materials were formed on the surface of carbon-supported Au nanoparticles. The structural and electrochemical analyses indicate that the active materials were deposited on the surface of Au nanoparticles selectively and that an alloying process occurred during the successive reducing process. The carbon-supported & surface-alloys showed the higher electrocatalytic activity than those of the particle-alloys and commercial one [Johnson-Matthey] for the reaction of methanol and formic acid oxidation. The increased electrocatalytic activity might be attributed to the effective surface structure of surface-alloys, which have a high utilization of active materials for the surface reaction of electrode.

• Corrosion Science and Technology
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.451-465
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• 2021

In this investigation, electrochemical characteristics and damage behavior of 316L stainless steel polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell(PEMFC) were analyzed by potentiodynamic and potentiostatic tests in cathode operating condition of PEMFC. As the result of potentiodynamic polarization test, range of passive region was larger than range of active region. In the result of potentiostatic test, damage depth and width, pit volume, and surface roughness were increased 1.57, 1.27, 2.48, and 1.34 times, respectively, at 1.2 V compared to 0.6 V at 24 hours. Also, as a result of linear regression analysis of damage depth and width graph, trend lines of damage depth and width according to applied potentials were 16.6 and 14.3 times larger, respectively. This demonstrated that applied potential had a greater effect on pitting damage depth of 316L stainless steel. The damage tendency values were 0.329 at 6 hours and 0.633 at 24 hours with applied potentials, representing rapid growth in depth direction according to the test times and applied potentials. Scanning electron microscopy images revealed that surface of specimen exhibited clear pitting damage with test times and applied potentials, which was thought to be because a stable oxide film was formed by Cr and Mo.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.223-229
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• 2013

Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC) is a power generation system to convert chemical energy of fuels and oxidants to electricity directly by electrochemical reactions. As a catalyst support for PEMFCs, carbon black has been generally used due to its large surface area and high electrical conductivity. However, under certain circumstances (start up/shut down, fuel starvation, ice formation etc.), carbon supports are subjected to serve corrosion in the presence of water. Therefore, it would be desirable to switch carbon supports to corrosion-resistive support materials such as metal oxide. $TiO_2$ has been attractive as a support with its stability in fuel cell operation atmosphere, low cost, commercial availability, and the ease to control size and structure. However, low electrical conductivity of $TiO_2$ still inhibits its application to catalyst support for PEMFCs. In this paper, to explore feasibility of $TiO_2$ as a catalyst support for PEMFCs, $TiO_2$ nanofibers were synthesized by electrospinning and calcinated at 600, 700, 800 and $900^{\circ}C$. Effects of calcination temperature on crystal structure and electrical conductivity of electrospun $TiO_2$ nanofibers were examined. Electrical conductivity of $TiO_2$ nanofibers increased significantly with increasing calcination temperature from $600^{\circ}C$ to $700^{\circ}C$ and then increased gradually with increasing the calcination temperature from $700^{\circ}C$ to $900^{\circ}C$. It was revealed that the remarkable increase in electrical conductivity could be attributed to phase transition of $TiO_2$ nanofibers from anatase to rutile at the temperature range from $600^{\circ}C$ to $700^{\circ}C$.