A metallic gas diffusion layer and porous media flow field for proton exchange membrane fuel cells

Zhang，Yinghui1; Tao，Youkun1,3; Ren，Hong2; Wu，Minhua1; Li，Guanguang2; Wan，Zhijian1; Shao，Jing2

2022-09-30

10.1016/j.jpowsour.2022.231847

JOURNAL OF POWER SOURCES   Impact Factor & Quartile

0378-7753

1873-2755

Recently, metal foams have been intensively studied to be used as alternative flow fields to the conventional channel-rib flow field in proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC) to enhance the uniformity of gas distribution and reduce the weight of fuel cells. This work demonstrates a simple and compact design at the cathode side for achieving effective electrons and gas transport in PEMFCs, which includes a porous metal foam flow media coated with a microporous layer (MPL) on its top to form one single hierarchical porous component functioning as both the gas distributor and diffusion media. With this low-cost and light-weight design, the conventional gas diffusion layer (GDL) can be eliminated. A comparative analysis of PEM fuel cell performances for the conventional carbon paper-based GDL and three metallic GDL designs containing different MPLs is conducted under varied stoichiometric ratios and relative humidity (RH). At 100% RH, the optimum performance is achieved on the CB/CNT MPL-coated metal foam, with the maximum power density increased by 21% than that of the conventional design when the stoichiometric ratio of air is 1.5. Under dry conditions (40% RH), all the metallic GDL structured cells outperform the conventional one at a low airflow rate (stoichiometric ratio = 1.5).

Metal foam Metallic gas diffusion layer Microporous layer Porous media flow field Proton exchange membrane fuel cell

SCI ; EI

English

Corresponding

National Natural Science Foundation of China[11932005];Harbin Institute of Technology[HA45001088];Shenzhen Science and Technology Innovation Program[JCYJ20170817110358231];

Chemistry ; Electrochemistry ; Energy & Fuels ; Materials Science

Chemistry, Physical ; Electrochemistry ; Energy & Fuels ; Materials Science, Multidisciplinary

WOS:000839376200004

ELSEVIER

20223012404781

Diffusion in gases ; Gases ; Metal foams ; Metals ; Microporosity ; Proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC)

Fluid Flow, General:631.1 ; Fuel Cells:702.2 ; Physical Properties of Gases, Liquids and Solids:931.2

MATERIALS SCIENCE

2-s2.0-85134570598

Scopus

1.School of Science,Harbin Institute of Technology,Shenzhen,518055,China
2.College of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering,Shenzhen University,Shenzhen,518060,China
3.Department of Mechanical and Energy Engineering,Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies,Southern University of Science and Technology,Shenzhen,518055,China

Zhang，Yinghui,Tao，Youkun,Ren，Hong,et al. A metallic gas diffusion layer and porous media flow field for proton exchange membrane fuel cells[J]. JOURNAL OF POWER SOURCES,2022,543.

Zhang，Yinghui.,Tao，Youkun.,Ren，Hong.,Wu，Minhua.,Li，Guanguang.,...&Shao，Jing.(2022).A metallic gas diffusion layer and porous media flow field for proton exchange membrane fuel cells.JOURNAL OF POWER SOURCES,543.

Zhang，Yinghui,et al."A metallic gas diffusion layer and porous media flow field for proton exchange membrane fuel cells".JOURNAL OF POWER SOURCES 543(2022).