Ex-situ visualization of the wet domain in the microporous layer in a polymer electrolyte fuel cell by X-ray computed tomography under water vapor supply

The wet domain in a microporous layer (MPL) in a polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEFC) was visualized in order to clarify water accumulation in the MPL. The performance of PEFC is affected by accumulation of liquid water in the cathode gas diffusion layer (GDL). The liquid water hinders oxygen transp...

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Main Authors: Satoru Kato, Satoshi Yamaguchi, Wataru Yoshimune, Yoriko Matsuoka, Akihiko Kato, Yasutaka Nagai, Takahisa Suzuki
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2020-02-01
Series:Electrochemistry Communications
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1388248119303078
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spelling doaj-da6e1324049e4c1280cf8ca3a18d17f22020-11-25T00:34:37ZengElsevierElectrochemistry Communications1388-24812020-02-01111Ex-situ visualization of the wet domain in the microporous layer in a polymer electrolyte fuel cell by X-ray computed tomography under water vapor supplySatoru Kato0Satoshi Yamaguchi1Wataru Yoshimune2Yoriko Matsuoka3Akihiko Kato4Yasutaka Nagai5Takahisa Suzuki6Corresponding author.; Toyota Central R&D Labs., Inc., Nagakute City, Aichi Prefecture 480-1192, JapanToyota Central R&D Labs., Inc., Nagakute City, Aichi Prefecture 480-1192, JapanToyota Central R&D Labs., Inc., Nagakute City, Aichi Prefecture 480-1192, JapanToyota Central R&D Labs., Inc., Nagakute City, Aichi Prefecture 480-1192, JapanToyota Central R&D Labs., Inc., Nagakute City, Aichi Prefecture 480-1192, JapanToyota Central R&D Labs., Inc., Nagakute City, Aichi Prefecture 480-1192, JapanToyota Central R&D Labs., Inc., Nagakute City, Aichi Prefecture 480-1192, JapanThe wet domain in a microporous layer (MPL) in a polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEFC) was visualized in order to clarify water accumulation in the MPL. The performance of PEFC is affected by accumulation of liquid water in the cathode gas diffusion layer (GDL). The liquid water hinders oxygen transport to the catalyst layer, resulting in increased mass-transport loss. Although MPLs suppress water accumulation in the GDL, this mechanism has not yet been fully clarified. The present study used synchrotron X-ray micro computed tomography (CT) to visualize water accumulation in the MPL. The experiment was conducted while supplying water vapor to the MPL side of the GDL. The MPL was visualized to be wetted heterogeneously, and liquid water movement from the MPL to the GDL substrate was visualized. These observations were supported by plotting the volume fraction of either the wet domain of the MPL or the water cluster as a function of through-plane distance. Keywords: Polymer electrolyte fuel cell, Liquid water accumulation, Gas diffusion layer, X-ray computed tomography, Microporous layerhttp://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1388248119303078
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Satoru Kato
Satoshi Yamaguchi
Wataru Yoshimune
Yoriko Matsuoka
Akihiko Kato
Yasutaka Nagai
Takahisa Suzuki
spellingShingle Satoru Kato
Satoshi Yamaguchi
Wataru Yoshimune
Yoriko Matsuoka
Akihiko Kato
Yasutaka Nagai
Takahisa Suzuki
Ex-situ visualization of the wet domain in the microporous layer in a polymer electrolyte fuel cell by X-ray computed tomography under water vapor supply
Electrochemistry Communications
author_facet Satoru Kato
Satoshi Yamaguchi
Wataru Yoshimune
Yoriko Matsuoka
Akihiko Kato
Yasutaka Nagai
Takahisa Suzuki
author_sort Satoru Kato
title Ex-situ visualization of the wet domain in the microporous layer in a polymer electrolyte fuel cell by X-ray computed tomography under water vapor supply
title_short Ex-situ visualization of the wet domain in the microporous layer in a polymer electrolyte fuel cell by X-ray computed tomography under water vapor supply
title_full Ex-situ visualization of the wet domain in the microporous layer in a polymer electrolyte fuel cell by X-ray computed tomography under water vapor supply
title_fullStr Ex-situ visualization of the wet domain in the microporous layer in a polymer electrolyte fuel cell by X-ray computed tomography under water vapor supply
title_full_unstemmed Ex-situ visualization of the wet domain in the microporous layer in a polymer electrolyte fuel cell by X-ray computed tomography under water vapor supply
title_sort ex-situ visualization of the wet domain in the microporous layer in a polymer electrolyte fuel cell by x-ray computed tomography under water vapor supply
publisher Elsevier
series Electrochemistry Communications
issn 1388-2481
publishDate 2020-02-01
description The wet domain in a microporous layer (MPL) in a polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEFC) was visualized in order to clarify water accumulation in the MPL. The performance of PEFC is affected by accumulation of liquid water in the cathode gas diffusion layer (GDL). The liquid water hinders oxygen transport to the catalyst layer, resulting in increased mass-transport loss. Although MPLs suppress water accumulation in the GDL, this mechanism has not yet been fully clarified. The present study used synchrotron X-ray micro computed tomography (CT) to visualize water accumulation in the MPL. The experiment was conducted while supplying water vapor to the MPL side of the GDL. The MPL was visualized to be wetted heterogeneously, and liquid water movement from the MPL to the GDL substrate was visualized. These observations were supported by plotting the volume fraction of either the wet domain of the MPL or the water cluster as a function of through-plane distance. Keywords: Polymer electrolyte fuel cell, Liquid water accumulation, Gas diffusion layer, X-ray computed tomography, Microporous layer
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1388248119303078
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