The effect of Nafion film on the cathode catalyst layer performance in a low-Pt PEM fuel cell

Andrei Kulikovsky

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arXiv · 1904.03155

The effect of Nafion film on the cathode catalyst layer performance in a low-Pt PEM fuel cell

Andrei Kulikovsky

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Abstract

A single--pore model for performance of the cathode catalyst layer (CCL) in a PEM fuel cell is developed. The model takes into account oxygen transport though the CCL depth and through the thin Nafion film, separating the pore from Pt/C species. Analytical solution to model equations reveals the limiting current density $j_N^{\rm lim}$ due to oxygen transport through the Nafion film. Further, $j_N^{\rm lim}$ linearly depends of the CCL thickness, i.e., the thinner the CCL, the lower $j_N^{\rm lim}$. This result may explain unexpected lowering of low--Pt loaded catalyst layers performance, which has been widely discussing in literature.

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Andrei Kulikovsky. 2019-04-05. The effect of Nafion film on the cathode catalyst layer performance in a low-Pt PEM fuel cell. https://arxiv.org/abs/1904.03155

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