Optimizing The Hot-Press Procedure Of High-Temperature Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells For Adhesion Strength And Conductivity

Abstract

As society considers alternatives to energy systems based on fossil fuel combustion, high-temperature proton exchange membrane (HT-PEM) fuel cells may play an important role in our future energy and transportation portfolio. When compared to low-temperature proton exchange membrane (LT-PEM) fuel cells, HT-PEM technology offers enhanced electrode kinetics, simplified water management, and most notably increased tolerance to fuel impurities such as carbon monoxide. However, compared to more conventional LT-PEM systems, less is known about the durability, performance, and fabrication of HT-PEM materials. Comprised of multiple layers, the membrane electrode assembly (MEA) is a fuel cell’s central component. In a fabrication process similar to LT-PEM MEAs, the proton-conducting membrane, electrodes, gas diffusion layers and sub gaskets are usually hot-pressed together. The parameters surrounding the hot-pressing operation can have a significant impact on the ultimate performance of the fuel cell, in addition to influencing process reliability and repeatability. In the current research, measurements of MEA thickness, impedance, and adhesion strength were obtained for samples over a range of conditions to optimize for the most suitable processing parameters. Testing in this study quantified the effects of hot-press time, temperature and pressure, within ranges of 1-10 minutes, 140 – 200oC, and 7.72 – 92.67 MPa (1120 - 13440 psi), respectively. After hot pressing, the MEA samples were tested for resistance with a 1260a Solartron impedance gain phase analyzer in tandem with a Solartron Ametek 12962a sample holder, and with a Scott internal bond tester for adhesion strength. Based on the results of these tests the optimal hot-press parameters were established, four 25 cm2 MEA were built and tested for performance with post-mortem analysis conducted utilizing scanning electron microscopy (SEM) coupled with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). These measurements enabled interrogation of potential sources of conductivity loss associated with material layer delamination and/or dehydration of phosphoric acid in the polybenzimidazole (PBI) membrane. In this case, all tests were conducted at 140oC and the resulting material assembly was allowed to cool to room temperature in a nitrogen glove box prior to executing conductivity measurements (i.e., inverse of resistance). Our results have demonstrated that the optimal conditions for MEA hot-pressing for the HT-PEM system are around 170oC and 23.1 MPa for 5 minutes. Each curve in Figure 1 represents the performance of in-house MEAs, prepared using the optimized hot-pressing condition, with variation of platinum-on-carbon content (Pt/C) and total Pt loading. The data presented in Figure 1 demonstrate the effect of varying electrode thickness on MEA performance. Figure 1