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The effects of the composition of microporous layers on the permeability of gas diffusion layers used in polymer electrolyte fuel cells

Orogbemi, O. M.; Ingham, D. B.; Ismail, M. S.; Hughes, K. J.; Ma, L.; Pourkashanian, M.

Authors

O. M. Orogbemi

D. B. Ingham

Profile image of Mohammed Ismail

Dr Mohammed Ismail m.s.ismail@hull.ac.uk
Senior Lecturer - Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies

K. J. Hughes

L. Ma

M. Pourkashanian



Abstract

The effects of the composition of the microporous layer (MPL) on the through-plane permeability of the gas diffusion layers (GDLs) used in polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFCs) have been thoroughly experimentally investigated in this paper. For a given PTFE loading in the MPL, the GDL permeability was found to decrease with increasing carbon loading and this is due to the increase in the thickness of the MPL. For all the investigated carbon loadings of the MPL, the permeability values of the GDLs were found to have common trends for the PTFE loadings ranging from 10 to 50% (by weight): the GDL permeability increases when the PTFE loading in the MPL is increased from 20 to 50%; the GDL permeability decreases when the PTFE loading in the MPL is increased from 10 to 20%; and the GDL permeability is a minimum at 20% PTFE loading present in the MPL. On the other hand, the permeability of the GDL was found to depend on the carbon loading of the MPL in the PTFE range 0–10%. The effects of the MPL composition on the MPL permeability were found to be similar to those on the GDL permeability. However, the permeability values of the MPLs of the same composition, which were supposed to be ideally the same, were found to significantly vary. This was attributed to the MPL penetration into the body of the carbon substrates.

Citation

Orogbemi, O. M., Ingham, D. B., Ismail, M. S., Hughes, K. J., Ma, L., & Pourkashanian, M. (2016). The effects of the composition of microporous layers on the permeability of gas diffusion layers used in polymer electrolyte fuel cells. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 41(46), 21345-21351. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2016.09.160

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Sep 13, 2016
Online Publication Date Oct 15, 2016
Publication Date Dec 14, 2016
Deposit Date Jan 21, 2023
Journal International Journal of Hydrogen Energy
Print ISSN 0360-3199
Publisher Elsevier
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 41
Issue 46
Pages 21345-21351
DOI https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2016.09.160
Keywords PEFCs; Gas diffusion layer; Microporous layer; Gas permeability; PTFE loading; Carbon loading
Public URL https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/4186267
Related Public URLs https://eprints.whiterose.ac.uk/110428/