An electro-kinetic study of oxygen reduction in polymer electrolyte fuel cells at intermediate temperatures

The oxygen reduction process in polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEMFCs) was in-situ investigated at intermediate temperatures (80 degree a130ANB degree C) by using a carbon supported PtCo catalyst and Nafion membrane as electrolyte. To overcome the Nafion dehydration above 100ANB degree C, the exper...

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Published inInternational journal of hydrogen energy Vol. 38; no. 1; pp. 675 - 681
Main Authors GATTO, I, STASSI, A, PASSALACQUA, E, ARICO, A. S
Format Conference Proceeding Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Kidlington Elsevier 11.01.2013
Subjects
Activation energy
Alternative fuels. Production and utilization
Applied sciences
Energy
Exact sciences and technology
Fuels
Hydrogen
Electrocatalysis
Pt-Co electrocatalyst
Polymer electrolytes
Hydrogen
Platinum
Oxygen reduction reaction
Kinetics
Fuel cell
Automotive
Polymer electrolyte fuel cell
Intermediate temperature
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Summary:The oxygen reduction process in polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEMFCs) was in-situ investigated at intermediate temperatures (80 degree a130ANB degree C) by using a carbon supported PtCo catalyst and Nafion membrane as electrolyte. To overcome the Nafion dehydration above 100ANB degree C, the experiments were carried out under pressurized conditions. Electro-kinetic parameters such as reaction order and activation energy were determined from the steady-state galvanostatic polarization curves obtained for the PEM single cell. Negative activation energies of 40ANBkJANBmol-1 and 18ANBkJANBmol-1 were observed at 0.9ANBV and 0.65ANBV, respectively, in the temperature range 100 degree a130ANB degree C. This was a consequence of ionomer and membrane dry-out. The ionomer dry-out effect appears to depress reaction kinetics as the temperature increases above 100ANB degree C since the availability of protons at the catalystaelectrolyte interface is linked to the presence of proper water contents. An oxygen reduction reaction of the first order with respect to the oxygen partial pressure was determined at low current densities. Maximum power densities of 990ANBmWANBcm-2 and 780ANBmWANBcm-2 at 100ANB degree C and 110ANB degree C (H2aO2) with 100% R.H., were achieved at 3ANBbars abs.
Bibliography:ObjectType-Article-2
SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1
ObjectType-Feature-1
content type line 23
ISSN:0360-3199
1879-3487
DOI:10.1016/j.ijhydene.2012.05.155