Abstract
In Polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs), the freezing of produced water induces the extreme deterioration of cell performance below zero. This phenomenon is serious problem in cold regions and is needed to be solved to achieve the practical use of PEMFC. In this study, we investigate ice distribution in the catalyst layer (CL) and in the gas diffusion layer (GDL) to clarify the freezing mechanism using an optical microscope and a CRYO-SEM. The observation result shows that the cold start at -10{degree sign}C makes ice at the interface between the CL and the micro porous layer of GDL. Little ice is, however, observed in the cold start at -20{degree sign}C, which indicates the ice formation in the CL. The CRYO-SEM observation is conducted at -20{degree sign}C to investigate the ice formation in the CL, and the result shows that this method is useful to clarify the ice distribution and the freezing mechanism.
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