Recent progress of the gas diffusion layer in proton exchange membrane fuel cells: Material and structure designs of microporous layer

• Published in: International journal of hydrogen energy Vol. 46; no. 5; pp. 4259 - 4282
• Main Authors: Yang, Yange, Zhou, Xiangyang, Li, Bing, Zhang, Cunman
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 19.01.2021
• Subjects: Durability; Fuel cell; Gas diffusion layer; Pore size distribution; Porosity; Wettability; Durability; Wettability; Porosity; Gas diffusion layer; Pore size distribution; Fuel cell
• ISSN: 0360-3199; 1879-3487
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijhydene.2020.10.185

Proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) have become the most attractive power supply units for stationary and mobile applications. The operation, design characteristics, as well as performance of PEMFCs, are closely related to the multiphase transport of mass, heat, and electricity in the cell, a critical of which is the gas diffusion layer (GDL). It is very important to guarantee the transmission of water and gasses under high current density, and which is the weakness of PEMFCs at present. Microporous layer (MPL) is considered to be the key variable for mass transfer, so varieties of works focus on modification of MPL materials and its structure design. However, there is still a lack of special review to summarize and prospect the progress of MPL in recent years. This review article therefore focuses on the insights and comprehensive understanding of four critical issues of the MPL, the porosity, pore size distribution, wettability, structural design and the durability of MPL. At last, the conclusion and recommendations section summarized the future prospects and recommendations for possible research opportunities. •This paper focus on the modification of microporous layer.•Pore structure, wettability, and durability of MPL are summarized.•Pore structure and wettability should be studied comprehensively.•Comprehensive evaluation criteria should be established to assess GDL durability.