Method development for gas adsorption measurements on proton exchange membrane fuel cell catalyst layers

This work focuses on developing a method to analyze the porosity and surface area characteristics of materials employed in Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cells using gas adsorption technology. A comprehensive understanding of porosity’s impact on cell efficiency is essential for designing materials that boost fuel cell performance. Enhanced fuel cell durability, especially in electric vehicles, contributes to transportation advancements. The core of the PEM fuel cell is the catalyst coated membrane (CCM), which consists of a membrane with electrode on each side, called catalyst layers (CL). CL requires substantial porosity to enable gas flow for the occurring reactions. Porosity arises through porous carbon-based powder, but by inserting platinum (Pt) particles as catalyst material and ionomer as binder, porosity is reduced. Hence, the variation in carbon support, Pt loading, ionomer to carbon ratio, and finally operation of the CCM, the porosity can vary. To study the impact of the material, and operation variations on the porosity, gas adsorption studies are concluded on a small amount of sample material. Reduction of the material needed for a reliable analysis, is the ultimate objective of this work. The proof of concept will be performed by analyzing different materials and finally comparing the porosity of a fresh and an aged CCM.