Physico-chemical study of the degradation of membrane-electrode assemblies in a proton exchange membrane fuel cell stack

Abstract

A proton exchange membrane fuel cell stack integrated by 8-elements has been evaluated in an accelerated stress test. The application of techniques such as TEM analyses of ultramicrotome-sliced sections of some samples and XRD, XPS and TGA of spent electrodes reveal the effects of several degradation processes contributing to reduce the cells performance. The reduction of the Pt surface area at the cathode is favored by the oxidation of carbon black agglomerates in the catalytic layer, the agglomeration of Pt particles and by the partial dissolution of Pt, which migrates towards the anode and precipitates within the membrane. In the light of the TEM, EDAX and XPS results, two combined effects are probably responsible of the increase of the internal resistance of the stack cells: (i) a lower proton conductivity of the membranes due to the high affinity of the sulfonic acid groups for ions originated from Pt crystallites and other peripherical elements such as the silicone elastomeric gaskets and (ii) the increment of electrically isolated islands in the cathode gas diffusion electrodes resulting from carbon corrosion and the degradation of the perfluorinated polymers. Water accumulation and inhomogeneous gas distribution throughout the stack cells originate different degradation rates in them.