Recent advances in solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell technology with low platinum loading electrodes

Abstract

Of all the fuel cell systems, only alkaline and solid polymer electrolyte fuel cells are capable of achieving high power densities (1 W cm −2) required for terrestrial and extraterrestrial applications. Electrode kinetic criteria for attaining such high power densities are discussed. Attainment of high power densities in solid polymer electrolyte fuel cells has been demonstrated earlier by different groups using high platinum loading electrodes (4 mg cm −2). Recent work at Los Alamos National Laboratory and at Texas A&M University (TAMU) demonstrated similar performance for solid polymer electrolyte fuel cells with ten times lower platinum loading (0.45 mg cm −2) in the electrodes. Some of the results obtained at TAMU are discussed in terms of the effects of type and thickness of membrane, and of the methods of platinum localization in the electrodes, on the performance of a single cell.