One-Dimensional Numerical Simulation of Pt-Co Alloy Catalyst Aging for Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells

Yunjie Yang, Minli Bai, Laisuo Su, Jizu Lv, Chengzhi Hu, Linsong Gao, Yang Li, Yubai Li () and Yongchen Song ()
Additional contact information
Yunjie Yang: Key Laboratory of Ocean Energy Utilization and Energy Conservation of Ministry of Education, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116023, China
Minli Bai: Key Laboratory of Ocean Energy Utilization and Energy Conservation of Ministry of Education, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116023, China
Laisuo Su: Materials Science and Engineering Program & Texas Materials Institute, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
Jizu Lv: Key Laboratory of Ocean Energy Utilization and Energy Conservation of Ministry of Education, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116023, China
Chengzhi Hu: Key Laboratory of Ocean Energy Utilization and Energy Conservation of Ministry of Education, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116023, China
Linsong Gao: Key Laboratory of Ocean Energy Utilization and Energy Conservation of Ministry of Education, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116023, China
Yang Li: Key Laboratory of Ocean Energy Utilization and Energy Conservation of Ministry of Education, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116023, China
Yubai Li: Key Laboratory of Ocean Energy Utilization and Energy Conservation of Ministry of Education, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116023, China
Yongchen Song: Key Laboratory of Ocean Energy Utilization and Energy Conservation of Ministry of Education, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116023, China

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 18, 1-23

Abstract: The service life of catalysts is a key aspect limiting the commercial development of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). In this paper, a one-dimensional degradation model of a Pt-Co alloy catalyst in the cathode catalytic layer (CCL) of a PEMFC is proposed, which can track the catalyst size evolution in real time and demonstrate the catalyst degradation during operation. The results show that severe dissolution of particles near the CCL/membrane leads to uneven aging of the Pt-Co alloy catalyst along the CCL thickness direction. When the upper potential limit (UPL) is less than 0.95 V, it does not affect the catalyst significantly; however, a slight change may cause great harm to the catalyst performance and service life after UPL > 0.95 V. In addition, it is found that operating temperature increases the Pt mass loss on the carbon support near the CCL/membrane side, while it has little effect on the remaining Pt mass on the carbon support near the CCL/GDL side. These uncovered degradation mechanisms of Pt-Co alloy provide guidance for its application in PEMFCs.

Keywords: PEM fuel cells; degradation; mathematical modeling; Pt dissolution; Pt alloy; cathode catalytic layer; real time; operating temperature; uneven aging (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/18/11462/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/18/11462/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:18:p:11462-:d:913521

Access Statistics for this article

Sustainability is currently edited by Ms. Alexandra Wu

More articles in Sustainability from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().