Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 15, 2026
15:08
Probing and Mapping Electrode Surfaces in Solid Oxide Fuel Cells
Published on: September 20, 2012
16.5K
Guided cracking of electrodes by stretching prism-patterned membrane electrode assemblies for high-performance fuel
Chi-Yeong Ahn1,2, Segeun Jang3,4, Yong-Hun Cho5
1Center for Nanoparticle Research, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Seoul, 08826, Korea.
Scientific Reports
|January 21, 2018
Summary
Guided cracks in fuel cell electrodes improve performance by enhancing water management. This novel method uses patterned membranes to create efficient water reservoirs and passages, boosting fuel cell efficiency.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Electrochemistry
- Chemical Engineering
Background:
- Proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) are crucial for clean energy.
- Efficient water management is critical for optimal PEMFC performance.
- Conventional electrodes face challenges in water transport.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a novel method for creating guided cracks in fuel cell electrodes.
- To investigate the impact of crack morphology on electrode performance.
- To enhance water management within membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs).
Main Methods:
- Generating guided cracks using prism-patterned Nafion membranes and controlled stretching.
- Characterizing cracked electrode morphology using environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM).
- Evaluating fuel cell performance with and without guided cracks via electrochemical measurements.
Main Results:
- Successfully created guided cracks in catalyst-coated Nafion membranes.
- Demonstrated that cracks act as effective water reservoirs and liquid water passages.
- Observed significantly improved fuel cell performance in MEAs with guided cracks compared to conventional MEAs.
Conclusions:
- Guided cracks enhance water transport in fuel cell electrodes.
- The prism-patterning technique offers a viable route to improved MEA design.
- This approach holds promise for advancing fuel cell technology through better water management.
Related Concept Videos
01:15Potentiometry: Membrane Electrodes
1.8K
Membrane electrodes, also known as p-ion electrodes, use membranes that selectively interact with free analyte ions, generating a potential difference across the membrane. The resulting membrane potential, known as the asymmetry potential, is not zero even when analyte concentrations on both sides of the membrane are equal. The membrane's response is typically not selective to a single analyte but proportional to the concentration of all ions in the sample solution capable of interacting at...
1.8K
03:02Standard Electrode Potentials
50.6K
On comparing the reactivity of silver and lead, it is observed that the two ionic species, Ag+ (aq) and Pb2+ (aq), show a difference in their redox reactivity towards copper: the silver ion undergoes spontaneous reduction, while the lead ion does not. This relative redox activity can be easily quantified in electrochemical cells by a property called cell potential. This property is commonly known as cell voltage in electrochemistry, and it is a measure of the energy which accompanies the charge...
50.6K
03:12Batteries and Fuel Cells
31.1K
A battery is a galvanic cell that is used as a source of electrical power for specific applications. Modern batteries exist in a multitude of forms to accommodate various applications, from tiny button batteries such as those that power wristwatches to the very large batteries used to supply backup energy to municipal power grids. Some batteries are designed for single-use applications and cannot be recharged (primary cells), while others are based on conveniently reversible cell reactions that...
31.1K
01:17Electrodes: Overview
2.8K
Electrochemical measurements are conducted in an electrochemical cell composed of various components that control and measure the current and potential. One fundamental component is electrodes, conductive materials that enable electron transfer reactions at their surfaces.
There are two main types of electrodes in electrochemical cells. The first type, known as the working or indicator electrode, has a potential that is sensitive to the analyte's concentration and reacts to changes in...
There are two main types of electrodes in electrochemical cells. The first type, known as the working or indicator electrode, has a potential that is sensitive to the analyte's concentration and reacts to changes in...
2.8K
01:19Potentiometry: Types of Electrodes
2.1K
Reference electrodes serve as a stable reference point for potentiometric measurements, while indicator and working electrodes react to variations in the composition of a solution.
The Standard Hydrogen Electrode (SHE) is a widely used reference electrode that maintains zero potential across all temperatures. However, its need for a continuous hydrogen gas supply renders it impractical for everyday use.
An alternative to SHE is the Saturated Calomel Electrode (SCE). This electrode features an...
The Standard Hydrogen Electrode (SHE) is a widely used reference electrode that maintains zero potential across all temperatures. However, its need for a continuous hydrogen gas supply renders it impractical for everyday use.
An alternative to SHE is the Saturated Calomel Electrode (SCE). This electrode features an...
2.1K
01:28Types of Non-structural Cracks in Concrete
521
Non-structural cracks are primarily of three types: plastic, early-age thermal, and drying shrinkage cracks. Plastic cracks are further classified into plastic shrinkage cracks and plastic settlement cracks.
Plastic shrinkage cracks typically form within hours after the concrete is poured. The concrete's surface dries faster than the bottom, creating tensile stress that the still-plastic concrete cannot withstand, leading to diagonal or randomly patterned cracks on the concrete surface.
Plastic shrinkage cracks typically form within hours after the concrete is poured. The concrete's surface dries faster than the bottom, creating tensile stress that the still-plastic concrete cannot withstand, leading to diagonal or randomly patterned cracks on the concrete surface.
521