Characterisation of Novel and High Performing Double-Sided Microporous-Layers-Coated Gas Diffusion Layers for Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells
This study aims to experimentally evaluate the impact of a double-sided microporous layer coating on gas diffusion layers in terms of their key properties and fuel cell performance, in comparison to conventional single-sided coated gas diffusion layers (GDLs). Vulcan black and Ketjenblack were used...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-11-01
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| Series: | Energies |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/16/22/7601 |
| _version_ | 1797459422375575552 |
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| author | Fernando Ruscillo Kun Zhang Mohammed S. Ismail Kevin J. Hughes Derek B. Ingham Lin Ma Mohamed Pourkashanian |
| author_facet | Fernando Ruscillo Kun Zhang Mohammed S. Ismail Kevin J. Hughes Derek B. Ingham Lin Ma Mohamed Pourkashanian |
| author_sort | Fernando Ruscillo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This study aims to experimentally evaluate the impact of a double-sided microporous layer coating on gas diffusion layers in terms of their key properties and fuel cell performance, in comparison to conventional single-sided coated gas diffusion layers (GDLs). Vulcan black and Ketjenblack were used as the carbon black materials. This was to investigate the sensitivity of the results with respect to the type of carbon black used. The results showed that the in-plane electrical conductivity is almost insensitive to microporous layer (MPL) loading and carbon black type. Furthermore, the electrical conductivity of all the MPL-coated GDLs are slightly lower than that of the uncoated GDL. The Ketjenblack black MPL samples were found to demonstrate higher gas permeability than the Vulcan black samples. The addition of the MPL resulted in a favourable shift in pore size distribution, with prominent micropores observed in both single- and double-sided MPL-coated GDLs. Contact angle measurements indicated a slight increase in the hydrophobicity with the addition of a microporous layer, but without significant differences between carbon black types or loading levels. Cross-sectional SEM images showed that there was a higher level of MPL penetration into the carbon substrate for the GDLs coated with Vulcan black as compared to a Ketjenblack coating. In situ fuel cell testing demonstrated the superior performance of the double-sided Vulcan black MPL-coated GDL under high humidity conditions, while the single-sided Vulcan black MPL-coated GDL exhibited better performance at low humidity conditions. All the above findings have been thoroughly discussed and justified. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T16:52:01Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ae83bb11890447fdbec8347cfa1d6917 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1996-1073 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T16:52:01Z |
| publishDate | 2023-11-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Energies |
| spelling | doaj.art-ae83bb11890447fdbec8347cfa1d69172023-11-24T14:40:28ZengMDPI AGEnergies1996-10732023-11-011622760110.3390/en16227601Characterisation of Novel and High Performing Double-Sided Microporous-Layers-Coated Gas Diffusion Layers for Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel CellsFernando Ruscillo0Kun Zhang1Mohammed S. Ismail2Kevin J. Hughes3Derek B. Ingham4Lin Ma5Mohamed Pourkashanian6Energy Institute, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield S3 7RD, UKCentre for Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Research, The University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UKSchool of Engineering, University of Hull, Hull HU6 7RX, UKEnergy Institute, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield S3 7RD, UKEnergy Institute, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield S3 7RD, UKEnergy Institute, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield S3 7RD, UKEnergy Institute, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield S3 7RD, UKThis study aims to experimentally evaluate the impact of a double-sided microporous layer coating on gas diffusion layers in terms of their key properties and fuel cell performance, in comparison to conventional single-sided coated gas diffusion layers (GDLs). Vulcan black and Ketjenblack were used as the carbon black materials. This was to investigate the sensitivity of the results with respect to the type of carbon black used. The results showed that the in-plane electrical conductivity is almost insensitive to microporous layer (MPL) loading and carbon black type. Furthermore, the electrical conductivity of all the MPL-coated GDLs are slightly lower than that of the uncoated GDL. The Ketjenblack black MPL samples were found to demonstrate higher gas permeability than the Vulcan black samples. The addition of the MPL resulted in a favourable shift in pore size distribution, with prominent micropores observed in both single- and double-sided MPL-coated GDLs. Contact angle measurements indicated a slight increase in the hydrophobicity with the addition of a microporous layer, but without significant differences between carbon black types or loading levels. Cross-sectional SEM images showed that there was a higher level of MPL penetration into the carbon substrate for the GDLs coated with Vulcan black as compared to a Ketjenblack coating. In situ fuel cell testing demonstrated the superior performance of the double-sided Vulcan black MPL-coated GDL under high humidity conditions, while the single-sided Vulcan black MPL-coated GDL exhibited better performance at low humidity conditions. All the above findings have been thoroughly discussed and justified.https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/16/22/7601polymer electrolyte fuel cellsgas diffusion layersmicroporous layerscarbon blackdouble-sided MPL coatingMPL loading |
| spellingShingle | Fernando Ruscillo Kun Zhang Mohammed S. Ismail Kevin J. Hughes Derek B. Ingham Lin Ma Mohamed Pourkashanian Characterisation of Novel and High Performing Double-Sided Microporous-Layers-Coated Gas Diffusion Layers for Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells Energies polymer electrolyte fuel cells gas diffusion layers microporous layers carbon black double-sided MPL coating MPL loading |
| title | Characterisation of Novel and High Performing Double-Sided Microporous-Layers-Coated Gas Diffusion Layers for Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells |
| title_full | Characterisation of Novel and High Performing Double-Sided Microporous-Layers-Coated Gas Diffusion Layers for Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells |
| title_fullStr | Characterisation of Novel and High Performing Double-Sided Microporous-Layers-Coated Gas Diffusion Layers for Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells |
| title_full_unstemmed | Characterisation of Novel and High Performing Double-Sided Microporous-Layers-Coated Gas Diffusion Layers for Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells |
| title_short | Characterisation of Novel and High Performing Double-Sided Microporous-Layers-Coated Gas Diffusion Layers for Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells |
| title_sort | characterisation of novel and high performing double sided microporous layers coated gas diffusion layers for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells |
| topic | polymer electrolyte fuel cells gas diffusion layers microporous layers carbon black double-sided MPL coating MPL loading |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/16/22/7601 |
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