Issue 1, 2022

An aromatic ionomer in the anode catalyst layer improves the start-up durability of polymer electrolyte fuel cells

Abstract

A sulfonated polyphenylene ionomer (SPP-QP) was used as a catalyst layer binder in polymer electrolyte fuel cells. SPP-QP functioned well in the proton-conducting thin layers to show high electrochemically active surface area (ECSA) for the Pt catalysts. When used as the cathode binder, however, specific adsorption of SPP-QP on the Pt catalyst lowered the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity, resulting in lower fuel cell performance compared to that using Nafion binder. In contrast, SPP-QP supported the hydrogen oxidation reaction (HOR) in the anode, with a negligibly small overpotential, similar to that for Nafion. Furthermore, the fuel cell with SPP-QP as the anode binder (SPP-QP(a)-cell) exhibited improved durability in a gas exchange cycle test simulating start-up conditions (according to the protocol suggested by the Fuel Cell Commercialization Conference of Japan). After 1000 cycles, the remaining ECSA was 37% for the SPP-QP(a)-cell, compared to 19% for the Nafion(a)-cell. The better durability was further demonstrated in the IV curves, where the cell voltage remaining at a current density of 0.8 A cm−2 was 80% of the pre-test value for the SPP-QP(a)-cell compared to 47% for the Nafion(a)-cell. The specific adsorption of SPP-QP on the Pt catalyst suppressed the unfavorable ORR in the anode and accordingly the so-called reverse current reaction under start-up conditions, mitigating the degradation of the cathode catalyst layer.

Graphical abstract: An aromatic ionomer in the anode catalyst layer improves the start-up durability of polymer electrolyte fuel cells

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
11 Okt. 2021
Accepted
22 Nov. 2021
First published
23 Nov. 2021
This article is Open Access
Creative Commons BY-NC license

Energy Adv., 2022,1, 38-44

An aromatic ionomer in the anode catalyst layer improves the start-up durability of polymer electrolyte fuel cells

T. Tanaka, M. Uchida and K. Miyatake, Energy Adv., 2022, 1, 38 DOI: 10.1039/D1YA00024A

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