On the water transport mechanism through the microporous layers of operando polymer electrolyte fuel cells probed directly by X-ray tomographic microscopy.

ABSTRACT: Product water transport via the microporous layer (MPL) and gas diffusion layer (GDL) substrate during polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEFC) operation was directly and quantitatively observed by X-ray tomographic microscopy (XTM). The liquid water distribution in two types of MPLs with different pore size distributions (PSDs) was characterized as a function of the inlet gas relative humidity (RH) and current density under humid operating conditions at 45 °C. During the first minute of PEFC operation, liquid water mainly accumulated at the catalyst layer (CL)/MPL interface and in the GDL substrate close to the flow fields. Furthermore, under all tested conditions, saturation in the MPL was low (<25%), whereas under the rib, the saturation in the GDL was up to ca. 70%. Based on

SUBMITTER: Chen YC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10500626 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature