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...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2020-02-01
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| Series: | Electrochemistry Communications |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1388248119303078 |
| _version_ | 1818272620306497536 |
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| author | Satoru Kato Satoshi Yamaguchi Wataru Yoshimune Yoriko Matsuoka Akihiko Kato Yasutaka Nagai Takahisa Suzuki |
| author_facet | Satoru Kato Satoshi Yamaguchi Wataru Yoshimune Yoriko Matsuoka Akihiko Kato Yasutaka Nagai Takahisa Suzuki |
| author_sort | Satoru Kato |
| collection | DOAJ |
| 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 |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-12T21:44:58Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-da6e1324049e4c1280cf8ca3a18d17f2 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1388-2481 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-12T21:44:58Z |
| publishDate | 2020-02-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Electrochemistry Communications |
| spelling | doaj.art-da6e1324049e4c1280cf8ca3a18d17f22022-12-22T00:10:57ZengElsevierElectrochemistry 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 |
| 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 |
| 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_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_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_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 |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1388248119303078 |
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