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On the Preparation and Testing of Fuel Cell Catalysts Using the Thin Film Rotating Disk Electrode Method
Published on: March 16, 2018
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Studying the Effect of Operating Conditions and NO2 Cathode Contamination on PEM Fuel Cells Using Distribution
W Khalaily1, S Bhowmick1, Y Tsur1,2
1The Department of Chemical Engineering, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel.
Chemsuschem
|September 1, 2024
Summary
This study investigated nitrogen dioxide (NO2) effects on polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs), finding flushing effectively regenerates performance, especially at lower temperatures. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and genetic algorithms identified contamination impacts.
Area of Science:
- Electrochemistry
- Materials Science
- Environmental Science
Background:
- Polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) are crucial for clean energy.
- Air pollutants like nitrogen dioxide (NO2) can degrade PEMFC durability and performance.
- Understanding NO2's impact on electrochemical processes is vital for fuel cell longevity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of NO2 contamination on PEMFC durability and electrochemical processes.
- To analyze how NO2 affects various phenomena within the fuel cell using advanced modeling.
- To evaluate the effectiveness of a mitigation strategy for performance regeneration.
Main Methods:
- In-situ Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) under varying temperature and relative humidity (RH).
- Analysis of EIS data using the Impedance Spectroscopy by Genetic Programming (ISGP) genetic algorithm to generate Distribution Function of Relaxation Times (DFRT) models.
- Post-contamination analysis using Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS) and Cyclic Voltammetry (CV).
Main Results:
- ISGP successfully differentiated electrochemical phenomena affected by NO2 contamination.
- The study demonstrated that flushing the PEMFC can regenerate performance after NO2 exposure.
- Performance regeneration was particularly effective at lower operating temperatures.
- EDS confirmed the presence of nitrogen components in the fuel cell components after contamination.
- CV indicated changes in the cathode's electrochemically active surface area due to contamination.
Conclusions:
- NO2 significantly impacts PEMFC electrochemical processes and durability.
- The ISGP method is effective for analyzing contamination effects on fuel cells.
- Flushing is a viable mitigation strategy for NO2-induced PEMFC degradation.
- Further research into pollutant effects and mitigation is warranted for advanced fuel cell applications.
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