Sahu, A.K. and Selvarani, G. and Pitchumani, S. and Sridhar, P. and Shukla, A.K. (2007) Ameliorating effect of silica addition in the anode-catalyst layer of the membrane electrode assemblies for polymer electrolyte fuel cells. Journal of Applied Electrochemistry, 37. pp. 913-919. ISSN 0021-891X

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Abstract

Incorporation of silica particles through a solgel process into the anode-catalyst layer with a sol-gel modified Nafion-silica composite membrane renders easy retention of back-diffused water from the cathode to anode through the composite membrane electrolyte, increases the catalyst-layer wettability and improves the performance of the Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cell (PEFC) while operating under relative humidity (RH) values ranging between 18% and 100% with gaseous hydrogen and oxygen reactants at atmospheric pressure. A peak power density of 300 mW cm–2 is achieved at a load current-density value of 1200 mA cm–2 for the PEFC employing a sol-gel modified Nafion-silica composite membrane and operating at 18% RH. Under similar operating conditions, the PEFC with a Membrane Electrode Assembly (MEA) comprising Nafion-silica composite membrane with silica in the anode-catalyst layer delivers a peak power density of 375 mW cm–2. By comparison, the PEFC employing commercial Nafion membrane fails to deliver satisfactory performance at 18% RH due to the limited availability of water at its anode, acerbated electro-osmotic drag of water from anode to cathode and insufficient water back diffusion from cathode to anode causing the MEA to dehydrate.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Polymer electrolyte fuel cell; Silica-Nafion composite membrane; Wettability; Humidification;Anode-catalyst layer
Subjects:	Fuel Cells
Divisions:	UNSPECIFIED
Depositing User:	ttbdar CECRI
Date Deposited:	27 Jan 2012 10:18
Last Modified:	27 Jan 2012 10:18
URI:	http://cecri.csircentral.net/id/eprint/711

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