Abstract:As one of the key components of PEMFC (polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell), the GDL (gas diffusion layer) plays a crucial role in the water management of the battery, The microporous layers with different gradient pore structures were constructed on the carbon paper substrate using conductive nano carbon black, MWCNTs and graphite sheets as microporous carbon materials. Scanning electron microscope and mercury injection instrument were used to measure the micropore morphology and pore structure of the all microporous layers. Then the resistivity, gas permeability and breakthrough pressure of the diffusion layers were also tested. Finally, the output performance of a single cell was studied by a fuel cell test platform. The results show that the gradient pore structure porous layer is formed due to the “double peak” distribution of MWCNTs layer and graphite sheet layer, which promotes the separation of gas-liquid two-phase transport and improves the battery's mass transfer capacity. Compared with the double-layer design, the three-layer gradient pore structure microporous layer has better performance. When the current density reaches 5.5 A/cm2, there is no obvious mass transfer polarization of the diffusion layer, and its maximum power is 1 855 mW/cm2. Compared with the commercial GDL, it is increased by 21%.
刘志鹏, 李丽, 伍小波, 谢志勇, 雷霆. 梯度孔结构微孔层的构建及性能[J]. 粉末冶金材料科学与工程, 2023, 28(1): 63-73.
LIU Zhipeng, LI Li, WU Xiaobo, XIE Zhiyong, LEI Ting. Construction and properties of microporous layer with gradient pore structure. Materials Science and Engineering of Powder Metallurgy, 2023, 28(1): 63-73.
[1] ISMAIL M S, DAMJANOVIC T, INGHAM D, et al.Effect of polytetrafluoroethylene-treatment and microporous layer-coating on the electrical conductivity of gas diffusion layers used in proton exchange membrane fuel cells[J]. Journal of Power Sources, 2010, 195(9): 2700-2708. [2] ISMAIL M S, HUGHES K J, INGHAM D B, et al.Effects of anisotropic permeability and electrical conductivity of gas diffusion layers on the performance of proton exchange membrane fuel cells[J]. Applied Energy, 2012, 95(7): 50-63. [3] HINEBAUGH I, GOSTICK J, BAZYLAK A.Stochastic modeling of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell gas diffusion layer: Part 2 a comprehensive substrate model with pore size distribution and heterogeneity effects[J]. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 2017, 42(24): 15872-15886. [4] WILSON M S, VALERIO J A, GOTTESFELD S.Low platinum loading electrodes for polymer electrolyte fuel cells fabricated using thermoplastic ionomers[J]. Electrochimica Acta, 1995, 40(3): 355-363. [5] INCE U, MARKOETTER H, GEORGE M G, et al.Effects of compression on water distribution in gas diffusion layer materials of PEMFC in a point injection device by means of synchrotron X-ray imaging[J]. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 2017, 43(1): 391-406. [6] LAPICQUE F, BELHADJ M, BONNET C, et al.A critical review on gas diffusion micro and macroporous layers degradations for improved membrane fuel cell durability[J]. Journal of Power Sources, 2016, 336: 40-53. [7] FERRIRA R B, FALCAO D S, OLIVEIRA V B, et al.Experimental study on the membrane electrode assembly of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell: effects of microporous layer, membrane thickness and gas diffusion layer hydrophobic treatment[J]. Electrochimica Acta, 2017, 224: 337-345. [8] ANTOLINI E, PASSOS R R, TICIANELLI E A.Effects of the carbon powder characteristics in the cathode gas diffusion layer on the performance of polymer electrolyte fuel cells[J]. Journal of Power Sources, 2002, 109(2): 477-482. [9] ELLER J, LAMIBRAC A, MARONE F, et al.Influence of binder porosity on gdl gas phase transport[J]. Journal of the Electrochemical Society, 2016, 2: 1194-1205. [10] 毛林昌, 金俊宏. 多孔纳米碳纤维作为质子交换膜燃料电池微孔层的性能[J]. 化工进展, 2020, 39(10): 3995-4001. MAO Linchang, JIN Junhong.Performance of porous carbon nanofibers as microporous layers for proton exchange membrane fuel cells[J]. Chemical Industry Progress, 2020, 39(10): 3995-4001. [11] SCHWEISS R, STEEB M, WILDE P M, et al.Enhancement of proton exchange membrane fuel cell performance by doping microporous layers of gas diffusion layers with multiwall carbon nanotubes[J]. Journal of Power Sources, 2012, 220: 79-83. [12] WU R, LIAO Q, ZHU X, et al.Liquid and oxygen transport through bilayer gas diffusion materials of proton exchange membrane fuel cells[J]. International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, 2012, 55(23/24): 6363-6373. [13] XU P, XU S C, GAO Y.Using orthorhombic lattice boltzmann model to research the liquid transport in gas diffusion layer with different micro porous layer coated[J]. Communications in Computational Physics, 2018, 23(4): 4208-4228. [14] HABIBALLAHI M, HASSANZADEH H, RAHNAMA M, et al.Effect of porosity gradient in cathode gas diffusion layer of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells on the liquid water transport using lattice Boltzmann method[J]. Journal of Power and Energy, 2020, 235(3): 1-17. [15] JIANG Z H, YANG G G, LI S A, et al.Study of the anisotropic permeability of proton exchange membrane fuel cell gas diffusion layer by lattice boltzmann method[J]. Computational Materials Science, 2021, 190(54): 110286-110298. [16] SON J, UM S, KIM Y B.Numerical analysis of the effect of anisotropic gas diffusion layer permeability on polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell performance with various channel types[J]. Fuel, 2021, 289(41): 119888-119900. [17] FAN M Y, DUAN F Y, WANG T Q, et al.Effect of pore shape and spacing on water droplet dynamics in flow channels of proton exchange membrane fuel cells[J]. Energies, 2021, 14(5): 3390-3399. [18] SHANGGUAN X, LI Y, QIN Y Z, et al.Effect of the porosity distribution on the liquid water transport in the gas diffusion layer of PEMFC[J]. Electrochimica Acta, 2021, 371(1): 137814-137823. [19] TANG H L, WANG S L, PAN M, et al.Porosity-graded micro-porous layers for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells[J]. Journal of Power Sources, 2007, 166(1): 41-46. [20] 贾儒, 王成华, 于淑贤. 碳素材料显气孔率和闭孔率的测试—有效密度法[J]. 碳素技术, 2009, 28(4): 51-53. JIA Ru, WANG Chenghua, YU Shuxian.Measurement of apparent porosity and obturator porosity of carbon materials—effective density method[J]. Carbon Technology, 2009, 28(4): 51-53. [21] OZDEN A, SHAHGALDI S, LI X G, et al.A review of gas diffusion layers for proto exchange membrane fuel cells with a focus on characteristics, characterization techniques, materials and designs[J]. Progress in Energy and Combustion Science, 2019, 74: 50-102. [22] 谭泽涛, 贾力, 张竹茜. 质子交换膜燃料电池扩散层水传递可视化研究[J]. 中国电机工程学报, 2011, 31(17): 106-111. TAN Zetao, JIA Li, ZHANG Zhuqian.Visualization of water transfer in diffusion layer of proton exchange membrane fuel cell[J]. Proceedings of the CSEE, 2011, 31(17): 106-111. [23] NAM J H, LEE K J, HWANG G S, et al.Microporous layer for water morphology control in PEMFC[J]. International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, 2009, 52(11/12): 2779-2791. (编辑陈洁)