Effect of Preparation Conditions of Pt/C Catalysts on Oxygen Electrode Performance in Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells

Supported Pt/C catalyst with 3.2 nm platinum crystallites was prepared by the impregnation—reduction method. The various preparation conditions, such as the reaction temperature, the concentration of precursor H₂PtCl₆ solution and the different reducing agents, and the relationship between the preparation conditions and the catalyst performance were studied. The carbon black support after heat treatment in N₂ showed improved platinum dispersion. The particle size and the degree of dispersion of Pt on the carbon black support were observed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The crystal phase composition of Pt in the catalyst was determined by X-ray diffraction (XRD). The surface characteristics of the carbon black support and the Pt/C catalyst were studied by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The electrochemical characteristics of the Pt/C catalysts were evaluated from current—voltage curves of the membrane electrode assembly (MEA) in a proton exchange membrane fuel cell.     

质子交换膜燃料电池双极板化学镀Ni-Cu-P表面改性

针对不锈钢作为燃料电池双极板存在的接触电阻高等问题,通过化学镀Ni-Cu-P对其进行表面改性,采用X射线衍射(XRD)、扫描电镜(SEM)、能谱(EDS)分析、界面接触电阻测试和模拟燃料电池环境腐蚀性能试验等方法,研究了表面改性对不锈钢双极板性能的影响。结果表明,经过化学镀Ni-Cu-P处理的双极板接触电阻大为降低,并且在模拟质子交换膜电池腐蚀环境下耐腐蚀性能得到较大提高。     

电化学蚀刻-掺杂316L不锈钢制备PEMFC双极板

目的 研究在0.5 mol/L KNO3和0.1 mol/L HNO3混合溶液中,电极电位对316L不锈钢(316LSS)表层微观形貌、化学组成、耐腐蚀性能和界面接触电阻的影响,以解决316LSS双极板在质子交换膜燃料电池中服役时腐蚀和表面接触电阻较大的问题.方法 借助于电化学交流阻抗、循环伏安、计时电流和动电位极化测试,对316LSS表面发生的电化学反应及改性后性能进行研究.利用电化学工作站、扫描电镜及X射线光电子能谱分析仪,对316LSS的耐腐蚀性能、微观形貌及化合价进行表征,并测量界面接触电阻和反应后溶液中铁铬金属离子浓度进行测量.结果 在0.5 mol/L KNO3+0.1 mol/L HNO3的混合溶液中,316LSS表面发生的反应为不可逆过程,当改性电位为–0.5 V(vs.SCE)时,交流阻抗低频区出现了代表物质吸附的感抗弧,电位负移到–0.6 V(vs.SCE)和–0.7 V(vs.SCE)时,表面发生点腐蚀和晶界腐蚀,膜层的完整性被破坏.最佳电位–0.5 V(vs.SCE)改性后316LSS表面出现凸起结构,表层元素分析发现关键合金元素铬主要以氧化铬和氮化铬形式存在,–0.5 V(vs.SCE)对应的氮化铬占比达54.8％.在140 N/cm2的压力下界面接触电阻与施加电位呈现抛物线关系,最小电阻值为8.7 m?·cm2(–0.5 V(vs.SCE)).改性后的316LSS耐腐蚀性能显著提升,最佳样品的腐蚀电流密度和腐蚀电位分别为0.065μA/cm2和136.738 mV,在模拟燃料电池中运行650 h时,腐蚀电流密度为3.4μA/cm2.结论 电化学改性316LSS的物理化学性能与施加电位大小密切相关.由于316LSS表层钝化膜在电化学反应过程中发生选择性溶解以及原位氮掺杂,促使钝化膜厚度减薄,掺杂氮元素稳定了膜层结构和提高了导电性能,消除了钝化膜对双极板性能的不利影响.最佳改性电位下316LSS表面发生选择性蚀刻形成致密的凸起状氮掺杂膜层,改善了316L不锈钢双极板综合性能.     

质子交换膜燃料电池开发现状

综述单体质子交换膜燃料电池的技术现状 ,介绍国内外PEMFC的研究进展 ,展望质子交换膜燃料电池技术的发展前景。     

PEMFC用气体扩散层中微孔层的干法制备

比较了用干法和湿法制备的微孔层(MPL)对质子交换膜燃料电池(PEMFC)输出性能的影响.结果表明干法MPL具有较湿法MPL更优的"水管理"功能.对基于干法MPL和湿法MPL的气体扩散层(GDL)分别进行了表征,包括扫描电子显微镜法(SEM)、透气率以及表面接触角.表征结果支持上述实验结论.干法MPL中PTFE质量百分含量的最优值为30%.     

PEMFC在0 ℃以下环境启动的研究

对质子交换膜燃料电池(PEMFC)0 ℃以下环境启动进行了研究.考察了-10 ℃保存对电池性能的影响.通过极化曲线、电化学阻抗(EIS)、循环伏安(CV)和渗氢电流等方法,考察了电池在-5 ℃经过7次启动后的性能变化,并通过对不同启动温度的孔结构测量,考察了膜电极(MEA)的微观变化.最后得出结论:-5 ℃启动对PEMFC结构及性能影响很小,但-10 ℃自启动对PEMFC有着很大程度的损坏.     

PEMFC分布式发电在地下工程中的应用研究

本文提出在现有地下工程中,采用PEMFC发电机取代柴油电站,构成一个没有排烟、不需伪装的清洁高效电源作为备用电源势在必行.概述了PEMFC发电系统,并指出PEMFC分布式发电为最佳选择,分析了应用PEMFC分布式发电须要考虑的问题,最后以某工程为例对PEMFC分布式发电规划进行探讨.     

A critical review of cooling techniques in proton exchange membrane fuel cell stacks

Effective cooling is critical for safe and efficient operation of proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) stacks with high power. The narrow range of operating temperature and the small temperature differences between the stack and the ambient introduce significant challenges in the design of a cooling system. To promote the development of effective cooling strategies, cooling techniques reported in technical research publications and patents are reviewed in this paper. Firstly, the characteristics of the heat generation and cooling requirements in a PEMFC stack are introduced. Then the advantages, challenges and progress of various cooling techniques, including (i) cooling with heat spreaders (using high thermal conductivity materials or heat pipes), (ii) cooling with separate air flow, (iii) cooling with liquid (water or antifreeze coolant), and (iv) cooling with phase change (evaporative cooling and cooling through boiling), are systematically reviewed. Finally, further research needs in this area are identified.     

The development of air-breathing proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) with a cylindrical configuration

A small air-breathing proton exchange membrane fuel cell with a cylindrical configuration (Cy-PEMFC) and a helical flow-channel was developed to provide a uniform contact pressure to the membrane electrode assembly (MEA) with a thin cathode current collector. A comparison of the contact pressure and performance of the Cy-PEMFC and general planar PEMFC was performed to determine the effect of the cylindrical configuration. For the contact pressure comparison, numerical analysis was performed using commercial software. Numerical analysis showed that the Cy-PEMFC has its own structural advantage of changing the applied clamping pressure to a uniformly distributed contact pressure. The actual pressure measurements were carried out with pressure-sensitive film to support results of numerical analysis. These results also showed that the Cy-PEMFC had a uniformly distributed contact pressure, whereas the planar PEMFC did not. The polarization curves of both PEMFCs were measured to determine the performance variations caused by the uniform contact pressure and better mass transfer. The maximum power density of the Cy-PEMFC was 220 mW/cm², which was approximately 24% higher than the planar PEMFC.     

Pulse electrodeposited cathode catalyst layers for PEM fuel cells

Nanostructured Pt and Pt₃Co cathodes for proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) have been prepared by pulse electrodeposition. For high utilization the catalyst nanoparticles are directly deposited on the microporous layer (MPL) of a commercial available gas diffusion layer (GDL). In order to increase the hydrophilic nature of the substrate surface and thus improve drastically the electrodeposition process and the fuel cell performance, prior to electrodeposition, the carbon substrate is submitted to O₂/Ar plasma activation. Cathodes with different amounts and distributions of Aquivion ionomer within the cathode catalyst layer (CCL) thickness (“homogeneous”, “gradient” and “anti-gradient”), different catalysts (Pt and Pt₃Co) at varied plasma duration and catalyst loading have been prepared. The cathodes are analysed via attenuated total reflection (ATR-IR), goniometer, SEM, 0.5 M H₂SO₄ half-cell and 25 cm² H₂/Air single PEMFC. The highest single fuel cell performance is obtained for 2 min plasma activated Pt₃Co cathode.