Investigation on Oxygen Mass Transfer Resistance Mechanism in Fuel Cell Gas Diffusion Layer Under Compression

Lin Huang, Junlong Zhou, Senrui Huang, Sijie Gan, Hangling Li, Guowei Li, Liangzhu Zhu, Yikang Li, Yumeng Bai, Yulin Wang (), Keqi Huang () and Hua Li ()
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Lin Huang: School of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China
Junlong Zhou: China Construction Sixth Engineering Bureau Corp., Ltd., Tianjin 100037, China
Senrui Huang: Ningbo Institute of Material Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo 315201, China
Sijie Gan: Ningbo Institute of Material Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo 315201, China
Hangling Li: Ningbo Institute of Material Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo 315201, China
Guowei Li: Ningbo Institute of Material Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo 315201, China
Liangzhu Zhu: Ningbo Institute of Material Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo 315201, China
Yikang Li: China Construction Sixth Engineering Bureau Corp., Ltd., Tianjin 100037, China
Yumeng Bai: China Construction Sixth Engineering Bureau Corp., Ltd., Tianjin 100037, China
Yulin Wang: Tianjin Key Lab of Refrigeration Technology, Tianjin University of Commerce, Tianjin 300134, China
Keqi Huang: China Construction Sixth Engineering Bureau Corp., Ltd., Tianjin 100037, China
Hua Li: Ningbo Institute of Material Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo 315201, China

Energies, 2025, vol. 18, issue 18, 1-19

Abstract: The significant potential loss of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) at high current densities is primarily attributed to the high mass transfer resistance of the gas diffusion layer (GDL). The underlying mechanism of how structural parameters of the GDL under actual assembly conditions affect oxygen transport resistance remains unclear, particularly the quantitative relationship between the compression ratio ( α ) and tortuosity ( γ ). This study systematically evaluated the output performance and mass transfer overpotential of three commercially available GDLs with similar thickness and porosity under different compression ratios (5.4% to 27%) and four inlet humidity conditions (RH0% to RH100%). By accurately extracting and comparing mass transfer overpotentials, it was observed that the mass transfer overpotential initially decreased and then increased with the rising compression ratio, with an optimum observed at 21.6%. An empirical correlation between the compression ratio ( α ) and tortuosity ( γ ) was established as γ = 3.42 α + 2.1. Based on this, a modified oxygen diffusion equation was proposed to accurately describe oxygen transport behavior within the GDL under compressed conditions. A modified oxygen diffusion equation was proposed to more accurately characterize the oxygen transport process within compressed GDLs. These findings establish a foundation for optimizing GDL design and stack assembly processes. Future work will build upon this study by incorporating multiphysics conditions such as stack clamping pressure, number of cells, intercell contact resistance, and assembly conditions (temperature and relative humidity), with the aim of elucidating the force–thermal–electrical–mass coupling mechanisms within the stack, thereby enhancing the overall performance and reliability of high-power-density proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) stacks.

Keywords: proton exchange membrane fuel cell; gas diffusion layer; compression deformation; mass transfer resistance; tortuosity (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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