The cathode catalyst layer in a proton exchange membrane fuel cell is now known to contain ionomer nanofibers and experiments have demonstrated a fuel cell performance increase of ∼10% due to those nanofibers. The experiments demonstrate that ionomer nanofibers have proton conductivities that exceed those of the bulk form of the ionomer by more than an order of magnitude. A new model of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell is presented here that predicts the effect of nanofibers on cell performance in terms of the enhanced nanofiber proton conductivity and other relevant variables. The model peak cell power density is ∼7% greater for the case with 10% of the cathode catalyst layer ionomer in nanofiber form versus the same case without nanofibers. This difference is consistent with trends observed in previously published experimental results. These results are significant since they suggest alternative methods to reduce platinum loading in fuel cells and to optimize fuel cell performance.
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August 2014
This article was originally published in
Journal of Fuel Cell Science and Technology
Research-Article
Nanofiber Cathode Catalyst Layer Model for a Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell
Dennis O. Dever,
Dennis O. Dever
Department of Chemical
and Biological Engineering,
and Biological Engineering,
Drexel University
,Philadelphia, PA 19104
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Richard A. Cairncross,
Richard A. Cairncross
Department of Chemical
and Biological Engineering,
and Biological Engineering,
Drexel University
,Philadelphia, PA 19104
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Yossef A. Elabd
Yossef A. Elabd
1
Department of Chemical
and Biological Engineering,
e-mail: elabd@drexel.edu
and Biological Engineering,
Drexel University
,Philadelphia, PA 19104
e-mail: elabd@drexel.edu
1Corresponding author.
Search for other works by this author on:
Dennis O. Dever
Department of Chemical
and Biological Engineering,
and Biological Engineering,
Drexel University
,Philadelphia, PA 19104
Richard A. Cairncross
Department of Chemical
and Biological Engineering,
and Biological Engineering,
Drexel University
,Philadelphia, PA 19104
Yossef A. Elabd
Department of Chemical
and Biological Engineering,
e-mail: elabd@drexel.edu
and Biological Engineering,
Drexel University
,Philadelphia, PA 19104
e-mail: elabd@drexel.edu
1Corresponding author.
Contributed by the Advanced Energy Systems Division of ASME for publication in the JOURNAL OF FUEL CELL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY. Manuscript received March 2, 2013; final manuscript received July 24, 2013; published online April 17, 2014. Editor: Nigel M. Sammes.
J. Fuel Cell Sci. Technol. Aug 2014, 11(4): 041007 (13 pages)
Published Online: April 17, 2014
Article history
Received:
March 2, 2013
Revision Received:
July 24, 2013
Citation
Dever, D. O., Cairncross, R. A., and Elabd, Y. A. (April 17, 2014). "Nanofiber Cathode Catalyst Layer Model for a Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell." ASME. J. Fuel Cell Sci. Technol. August 2014; 11(4): 041007. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4026985
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