Nano composite membrane-electrode assembly formation for fuel cell-modeling aspects

Long term stability is an essential requirement for fuel cell applications in automobile and stationary energy systems. In these systems the agglomeration of the catalyst nanoparticles is a well-known phenomenon which cannot be easily overcome or compensated for by re-designing the system. A direct result of this occurrence is the irreversible decrease of the electrochemical performance. Irregularities in electric field distribution are one root cause for migration and subsequent agglomeration of the catalyst nanoparticle. In this work, the impact of the electrode mechanical deformation on electric field distribution was studied using a computer modeling approach. Model of a Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cell with interdigitated flow field from Comsol Chemical Engineering/Electrochemical Engineering Module library was used for simulations. It was established that by minimizing the backing layer deformation it is possible to achieve some improvement in current distribution.