Evolution and degradation phenomena of electrode for proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs)

Abstract

Electrode degradation is the main problem of the lifetime for proton exchange membrane fuel cell performance. The operating conditions with different parameters, as high and low flow rates, high and low pressures for hydrogen and oxygen and the aggressive operating which the results show the distribution of the catalyst in the cathode by scanning electron microscopic (SEM) and degradation, especially in the catalyst. This shows the detachment of catalyst from the support as shown by X-ray diffraction (XRD) peaks and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The XRD showed the decrease in intensity peaks after operating, which increase in the degradation of cathode as crystallinities phases, and increasing the particle size of catalyst from 4.14 to 5.57 nm for more than 100 h operating in a single cell of 25 cm2 with different operating conditions as shown by the TEM.

Keywords: Electrode fabrication, degradation; characterisation.