Anode aging in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel Cells I: Anode monitoring by ElectroChemical impedance spectroscopy

A Gerischer phase element in the impedance diagram of the polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell anode.

We study the isothermal hydrogen adsorption and reaction at the E-TEK electrode of a polymer electrolyte fuel cell with a Nafion 117 membrane by impedance spectroscopy at 30 degrees C. We find that the impedance diagram must include a Gerischer phase element. Constant phase elements are not sufficient to describe the experimental data. This means that an adsorption reaction takes place in combi...

Nitrogen Front Evolution in Purged Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell with Dead-Ended Anode

In this paper we model and experimentally verify the evolution of liquid water and nitrogen fronts along the length of the anode channel in a Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell operating with a dead-ended anode that is fed by dry hydrogen. The accumulation of inert nitrogen and liquid water in the anode causes a voltage drop, which is recoverable by purging the anode. Experiments were designed ...

Modeling and Experiments of Voltage Transients of Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells With the Dead-Ended Anode

Operation of PEM fuel cells (PEMFC) with the dead-ended anode (DEA) leads to severe voltage transients due to accumulation of nitrogen, water vapor and liquid water in the anode channels and the gas diffusion layer (GDL). Accumulation of nitrogen causes a large voltage transient with a characteristic profile whereas the amount of water vapor in the anode is limited by the saturation pressure, a...

A novel approach for analyzing electrochemical properties of mixed conducting solid oxide fuel cell anode materials by impedance spectroscopy.

For application of acceptor-doped mixed conducting oxides as solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) anodes, high electrochemical surface activity as well as acceptable electronic and ionic conductivity are crucial. In a reducing atmosphere, particularly the electronic conductivity of acceptor-doped oxides can become rather low and the resulting complex interplay of electrochemical reactions and charge tr...

Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy Study of the Mass Transfer in an Anode-Supported Microtubular Solid Oxide Fuel Cell