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Journal of Electrochemical Energy Conversion and Storage | Volume 15 | Issue 1 | research-article
Research Papers

A Comparison of Felt-Type and Paper-Type Gas Diffusion Layers for Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell Applications Using X-Ray Techniques

[+] Author and Article Information
R. Banerjee, S. Chevalier, H. Liu, J. Lee, R. Yip

Thermofluids for Energy and Advanced
Materials (TEAM) Laboratory,
Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering,
University of Toronto Institute for Sustainable Energy,
Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering,
University of Toronto,
5 King's College Road,
Toronto, ON M5S 3G8, Canada

K. Han

Fuel Cell R&D Group,
Eco Technology Center,
Research & Development Division,
Hyundai Motor Company,
Yongin-si 16891, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea

B. K. Hong

Fuel Cell Research Lab.,
Eco Technology Center,
Research & Development Division,
Hyundai Motor Company,
Yongin-si 16891, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea

A. Bazylak

Thermofluids for Energy and Advanced
Materials (TEAM) Laboratory,
Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering,
Institute for Sustainable Energy,
Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering,
University of Toronto,
5 King's College Road,
Toronto, ON M5S 3G8, Canada
e-mail: abazylak@mie.utoronto.ca

1Corresponding author.

Manuscript received July 1, 2017; final manuscript received August 19, 2017; published online October 4, 2017. Assoc. Editor: Partha P. Mukherjee.

J. Electrochem. En. Conv. Stor. 15(1), 011002 (Oct 04, 2017) (10 pages) Paper No: JEECS-17-1081; doi: 10.1115/1.4037766 History: Received July 01, 2017; Revised August 19, 2017
Article
References
Figures
Tables

This work presents a comparison between carbon felt-type and paper-type gas diffusion layers (GDLs) for polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cells in terms of the similarities and the differences between their microstructures and the corresponding manner in which liquid water accumulated within the microstructures during operation. X-ray computed tomography (CT) was used to investigate the microstructure of single-layered GDLs (without a microporous layer (MPL)) and bilayered GDLs (with an MPL). In-operando synchrotron X-ray radiography was used to visualize the GDL liquid water accumulation during fuel cell operation as a function of current density. The felt-type GDLs studied here exhibited a more uniform porosity in the core regions, and the carbon fibers in the substrate were more prone to MPL intrusion. More liquid water accumulated in the felt-type GDLs during fuel cell operation; however, when differentiating between the microstructural impact of felt and paper GDLs, the presence of an MPL in bilayered GDLs was the most influential factor in liquid water management.
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Figures

Grahic Jump Location
Fig. 1

Schematic of X-ray CT setup

+Schematic of X-ray CT setup
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Schematic of X-ray CT setup
Grahic Jump Location
Fig. 2

Example porosity profile of SGL 10 BC, showing the individual solid fraction for the carbon fiber and MPL phases

+Example porosity profile of SGL 10 BC, showing the individual solid fraction for the carbon fiber and MPL phases
View Large  |  Save Figure  |  Download Slide (.ppt)
Example porosity profile of SGL 10 BC, showing the individual solid fraction for the carbon fiber and MPL phases
Grahic Jump Location
Fig. 3

Cross-sectional slices of the GDL in the in-plane and through-plane directions for (a) SGL 10 BA, (b) SGL 10 BC, (c) SGL 25 BA, and (d) SGL 25 BC. Black represents fiber, orange represents MPL, and white is void space. Please see online figures for references to color.

+Cross-sectional slices of the GDL in the in-plane and through-plane directions for (a) SGL 10 BA, (b) SGL 10 BC, (c) SGL 25 BA, and (d) SGL 25 BC. Black represents fiber, orange represents MPL, and white is void space. Please see online figures for references to color.
View Large  |  Save Figure  |  Download Slide (.ppt)
Cross-sectional slices of the GDL in the in-plane and through-plane directions for (a) SGL 10 BA, (b) SGL 10 BC, (c) SGL 25 BA, and (d) SGL 25 BC. Black represents fiber, orange represents MPL, and white is void space. Please see online figures for references to color.
Grahic Jump Location
Fig. 4

Schematic of the imaging setup for the fuel cell. The scale bar on the radiograph is 1 mm long.

+Schematic of the imaging setup for the fuel cell. The scale bar on the radiograph is 1 mm long.
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Schematic of the imaging setup for the fuel cell. The scale bar on the radiograph is 1 mm long.
Grahic Jump Location
Fig. 5

Profiles for the solid fractions of (a) uncompressed GDL, and (b) compressed GDL. The void space above the solid fractions represents the porous region of the GDL. The x = 0 μm through-plane position corresponds to the outer surface of the GDL. The first solid fraction value shown (where x > 0 μm) corresponds to the half-width location of the first voxel.

+Profiles for the solid fractions of (a) uncompressed GDL, and (b) compressed GDL. The void space above the solid fractions represents the porous region of the GDL. The x = 0 μm through-plane position corresponds to the outer surface of the GDL. The first solid fraction value shown (where x > 0 μm) corresponds to the half-width location of the first voxel.
View Large  |  Save Figure  |  Download Slide (.ppt)
Profiles for the solid fractions of (a) uncompressed GDL, and (b) compressed GDL. The void space above the solid fractions represents the porous region of the GDL. The x = 0 μm through-plane position corresponds to the outer surface of the GDL. The first solid fraction value shown (where x > 0 μm) corresponds to the half-width location of the first voxel.
Grahic Jump Location
Fig. 6

Normalized water thickness measured in GDL regions through X-ray radiography during fuel cell operation: (a) SGL 10 BA—channel, (b) SGL 25 BA—channel, (c) SGL 10 BA—land, and (d) SGL 25 BA—Land. Shaded region indicates position of the membrane.

+Normalized water thickness measured in GDL regions through X-ray radiography during fuel cell operation: (a) SGL 10 BA—channel, (b) SGL 25 BA—channel, (c) SGL 10 BA—land, and (d) SGL 25 BA—Land. Shaded region indicates position of the membrane.
View Large  |  Save Figure  |  Download Slide (.ppt)
Normalized water thickness measured in GDL regions through X-ray radiography during fuel cell operation: (a) SGL 10 BA—channel, (b) SGL 25 BA—channel, (c) SGL 10 BA—land, and (d) SGL 25 BA—Land. Shaded region indicates position of the membrane.
Grahic Jump Location
Fig. 7

Normalized water thickness measured from X-ray radiography during fuel cell operation: (a) SGL 10 BC—channel, (b) SGL 25 BC—channel, (c) SGL 10 BC—land, and (d) SGL 25 BC—land. Shaded region indicates position of the membrane.

+Normalized water thickness measured from X-ray radiography during fuel cell operation: (a) SGL 10 BC—channel, (b) SGL 25 BC—channel, (c) SGL 10 BC—land, and (d) SGL 25 BC—land. Shaded region indicates position of the membrane.
View Large  |  Save Figure  |  Download Slide (.ppt)
Normalized water thickness measured from X-ray radiography during fuel cell operation: (a) SGL 10 BC—channel, (b) SGL 25 BC—channel, (c) SGL 10 BC—land, and (d) SGL 25 BC—land. Shaded region indicates position of the membrane.

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