The Impact of Coating Defects on Water Transport in the Gas Diffusion Layer of PEM Fuel Cells

Abstract

Present study suggests that the breakthrough pressure of a mixed-non-wetting (MNW) meniscus is highly sensitive to the extent of coating defects. On the other hand, the wetting meniscus breakthrough pressure showed little sensitivity to the geometry of the pore. Hydrophobic coatings such as PTFE are used to improve the water transport behaviour of the gas diffusion layer. Improved performance is typically associated with high breakthrough pressure, as evidenced by experiments. Simulations employing pores consider the influence of the pore geometry, and that of heterogeneous wetting and pinning conditions of the water droplets in contact with the GDL fibrous matrix. This model examines the water percolation behaviour at pore level, the pore being defined as a contact line of an evolving droplet in contact with fibers. In contrast with the pores of a pore-network model, the pore-level model captures the evolution of a liquid-gas interface having both pinned and free contact line segments. The mixed-non-wetting behaviour is caused by the hydrophobic coating which allows parts of the meniscus contact line to deform freely in contact with the fibers, while other parts of the meniscus remain pinned due to coating defects. The MNW meniscus is critical to establishing a high breakthrough pressure and a small characteristic droplet volume. The influence of the coating defects is simulated by MNW menisci having various ratios of pinned-to-free contact line segments.