Polarization of the membrane electrode assembly in a proton exchange membrane fuel cell

ZHAO Yang; WANG Shubo; LI Weiwei; XIE Xiaofeng

doi:10.16511/j.cnki.qhdxxb.2019.26.019

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Journal of Tsinghua University(Science and Technology) ›› 2020, Vol. 60 ›› Issue (3) : 254-262. DOI: 10.16511/j.cnki.qhdxxb.2019.26.019

NUCLEAR ENERGY AND NEW ENERGY

Polarization of the membrane electrode assembly in a proton exchange membrane fuel cell

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Abstract

The performance of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell depends on the membrane electrode assembly (MEA) polarization. The characteristics of a home-made MEA with various polarizations were measured to calculate the internal losses, activation polarization, ohmic polarization, and mass transfer polarization. The results show that the activation polarization has a large effect, especially at low temperatures, while the ohmic polarization has little effect with a maximum difference of about 0.09 V for a current density of 1550 mA/cm². The mass transfer polarization effect increases rapidly as the current density increases. Moreover, 40%-44% of the oxygen transport resistance comes from the molecular diffusion resistance in the gas diffusion layer with 43%-50% of the resistance originating from the oxygen dissolution and diffusion through the ionomer layer.

Key words

proton exchange membrane fuel cell / voltage losses / activation polarization / ohmic polarization / concentration polarization

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ZHAO Yang, WANG Shubo, LI Weiwei, XIE Xiaofeng. Polarization of the membrane electrode assembly in a proton exchange membrane fuel cell[J]. Journal of Tsinghua University(Science and Technology). 2020, 60(3): 254-262 https://doi.org/10.16511/j.cnki.qhdxxb.2019.26.019

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