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Observation of water transport in the micro-porous layer of a polymer electrolyte fuel cell with a freezing method and cryo-scanning electron microscope
| Title: | Observation of water transport in the micro-porous layer of a polymer electrolyte fuel cell with a freezing method and cryo-scanning electron microscope |
| Authors: | Aoyama, Yusuke Browse this author | | Suzuki, Kengo Browse this author | | Tabe, Yutaka Browse this author →KAKEN DB | | Chikahisa, Takemi Browse this author →KAKEN DB |
| Keywords: | PEFC | | MPL | | Direct observation | | Water transport | | Phase state |
| Issue Date: | Apr-2014 |
| Publisher: | Elsevier |
| Journal Title: | Electrochemistry Communications |
| Volume: | 41 |
| Start Page: | 72 |
| End Page: | 75 |
| Publisher DOI: | 10.1016/j.elecom.2013.12.029 |
| Abstract: | Micro-porous layers (MPLs) play an important role in the water management of polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFCs), however, the detailed mechanism of how the produced water is drained from these layers is not well understood. This paper observed the cross-sectional distribution of liquid water inside the cathode MPL to elucidate details of the phase state of the water transported through the MPL The freezing method and ctyo-scanning electron microscope (cryo-SEM) are used for the observations; the freezing method enables immobilization of the liquid water in the cell as ice forms by the freezing, and the cryo-SEM can visualize the water distribution in the vicinity of the MPL at high resolution without the ice melting. It was shown that no liquid water accumulates inside the MPL in operation at 35 degrees C, while the pores of the MPL are filled with liquid water under very low cell temperature operation, at 5 degrees C. These results indicate that the produced water passes through the MPL not as a liquid but in the vapor state in usual PEFC operation. Additionally, liquid water at the interface between the MPL and a catalyst layer (CL) was identified, and the effect of the interfacial contact on the water distribution was examined. |
| Type: | article (author version) |
| URI: | http://hdl.handle.net/2115/56675 |
| Appears in Collections: | 工学院・工学研究院 (Graduate School of Engineering / Faculty of Engineering) > 雑誌発表論文等 (Peer-reviewed Journal Articles, etc)
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Submitter: 田部 豊
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