Water Management Characterization on Gas Diffusion Layers on Fuel Cells

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Polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells operating on hydrogen and air represent the best currently available technology for replacing the internal combustion engine in automotive and other mobile applications. The high energy and power density (equivalent to range and horsepower) offered by fuel cells is unrivaled by any alternative technology (i.e. lithium-ion batteries, ultra-capacitors). One of the major technological hurdles on the path to fuel cell commercialization is high cost. The platinum-based materials required to facilitate the electrochemical reactions are expensive; and unlike other system components, this cost will not decrease at economies of scale. Major efforts have been directed at reducing the platinum content per cell and significant reductions have been achieved, but this strategy is approaching a limit due to performance and durability issues. The alternative to less platinum per cell is to reduce the number of cells. This can be accomplished by operating at higher current density (current per cell), but this approach is accompanied by several negative side-effects that must be managed; the main concerns stem from the excessive generation of water inside the cell. This collaboration will develop a suite of experimental and theoretical tools for better understanding of how water vapor and liquid water are formed and transported in the cell at high currents.