Enhancement of Oxygen Reduction and Mitigation of Ionomer Dry-Out Using Insoluble Heteropoly Acids in Intermediate Temperature Polymer-Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells

Alessandro Stassi, Irene Gatto, Ada Saccà, Vincenzo Baglio and Antonino S. Aricò
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Alessandro Stassi: CNR-ITAE Institute of Advanced Energy Technologies "Nicola Giordano", Via Salita S. Lucia sopra Contesse 5, 98126 Messina, Italy
Irene Gatto: CNR-ITAE Institute of Advanced Energy Technologies "Nicola Giordano", Via Salita S. Lucia sopra Contesse 5, 98126 Messina, Italy
Ada Saccà: CNR-ITAE Institute of Advanced Energy Technologies "Nicola Giordano", Via Salita S. Lucia sopra Contesse 5, 98126 Messina, Italy
Vincenzo Baglio: CNR-ITAE Institute of Advanced Energy Technologies "Nicola Giordano", Via Salita S. Lucia sopra Contesse 5, 98126 Messina, Italy
Antonino S. Aricò: CNR-ITAE Institute of Advanced Energy Technologies "Nicola Giordano", Via Salita S. Lucia sopra Contesse 5, 98126 Messina, Italy

Energies, 2015, vol. 8, issue 8, 1-13

Abstract: The use of Cs 0.5 H 0.5 PW 12 O 40 insoluble salt as a superacid promoter in the catalyst layer of a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) has been investigated. An increase of performance has been recorded at intermediate temperatures (110–130 °C) and under low relative humidity (R.H.). The promoter appears to mitigate the ionomer dry-out effects in the catalytic layer and produces an increase of the extent of the catalyst-electrolyte interface as demonstrated by cyclic voltammetry analysis. These effects are also corroborated by a significant decrease of polarization resistance at intermediate temperatures. Such characteristics have been demonstrated for a conventional membrane-electrode assembly based on a Pt-Co alloy and a Nafion 115 membrane.

Keywords: polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC); heteropoly acids; Cs 0.5 H 0.5 PW 12 O 40; intermediate temperature; oxygen reduction (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: 2015
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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