Abstract
Theoretical models used to describe the proton-conductive membrane in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) are reviewed, within the specific context of practical, physicochemical simulations of PEMFC device-scale performance and macroscopically observable behaviour. Reported models and their parameterisation (especially for Nafion 1100 materials) are compiled into a single source with consistent notation. Detailed attention is given to the Springer–Zawodzinski–Gottesfeld, Weber–Newman, and “binary friction model” methods of coupling proton transport with water uptake and diffusive water transport; alongside, data are compiled for the corresponding parameterisation of proton conductivity, water sorption isotherm, water diffusion coefficient, and electroosmotic drag coefficient. Subsequent sections address the formulation and parameterisation of models incorporating interfacial transport resistances, hydraulic transport of water, swelling and mechanical properties, transient and non-isothermal phenomena, and transport of dilute gases and other contaminants. Lastly, a section is dedicated to the formulation of models predicting the rate of membrane degradation and its influence on PEMFC behaviour.
Highlights
We summarise and evaluate the diversity of methods applied in the literature to describe theoretically the transport phenomena within a proton-conductive polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM, hereafter generally abbreviated to “membrane”), as applied in practical simulation methods for low-temperature polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) applications
In speaking of “practical simulation methods”, we focus our interest upon models predicting the performance and overall electrochemical behaviour of a PEMFC, as well as the fundamental theories that most directly inform the continuum description of the membrane in full cell models
In the Perspective section below, we present a sampled review of recent PEMFC simulations, in which it is demonstrated that even contemporary theoretical works depend heavily on theories and parameterisation established in the early 1990s on -current membrane materials
Summary
We summarise and evaluate the diversity of methods applied in the literature to describe theoretically the transport phenomena within a proton-conductive polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM, hereafter generally abbreviated to “membrane”), as applied in practical simulation methods for low-temperature polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) applications. It is not our purpose to attempt a comprehensive review of the general literature on proton-conductive polymer electrolyte membranes, for which the reader is directed to the excellent and exhaustive 2017 review article by Kusoglu and Weber [1] as well as prior works correlating structural and chemical properties to performance characteristics [2,3,4]. Neither do we attempt to consider theories around the morphology and role of ionomer material in the context of the composite structure of catalyst layers, which remains an important open topic of interest, and is discussed elsewhere [5,6,7,8]. We will avoid discussion of atomic-scale theories of the physicochemical structure of materials and instead focus attention on macroscopically observable transport behaviour of the membrane. We will avoid considerations specific to cold start (freezing) conditions, and
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