This work presents a comparison between carbon felt-type and paper-type gas diffusion layers (GDLs) for polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cells in terms of the similarities and the differences between their microstructures and the corresponding manner in which liquid water accumulated within the microstructures during operation. X-ray computed tomography (CT) was used to investigate the microstructure of single-layered GDLs (without a microporous layer (MPL)) and bilayered GDLs (with an MPL). In-operando synchrotron X-ray radiography was used to visualize the GDL liquid water accumulation during fuel cell operation as a function of current density. The felt-type GDLs studied here exhibited a more uniform porosity in the core regions, and the carbon fibers in the substrate were more prone to MPL intrusion. More liquid water accumulated in the felt-type GDLs during fuel cell operation; however, when differentiating between the microstructural impact of felt and paper GDLs, the presence of an MPL in bilayered GDLs was the most influential factor in liquid water management.
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February 2018
Research-Article
A Comparison of Felt-Type and Paper-Type Gas Diffusion Layers for Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell Applications Using X-Ray Techniques
R. Banerjee,
R. Banerjee
Thermofluids for Energy and Advanced
Materials (TEAM) Laboratory,
Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering,
University of Toronto Institute for Sustainable Energy,
Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering,
University of Toronto,
5 King's College Road,
Toronto, ON M5S 3G8, Canada
Materials (TEAM) Laboratory,
Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering,
University of Toronto Institute for Sustainable Energy,
Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering,
University of Toronto,
5 King's College Road,
Toronto, ON M5S 3G8, Canada
Search for other works by this author on:
S. Chevalier,
S. Chevalier
Thermofluids for Energy and Advanced
Materials (TEAM) Laboratory,
Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering,
University of Toronto Institute for Sustainable Energy,
Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering,
University of Toronto,
5 King's College Road,
Toronto, ON M5S 3G8, Canada
Materials (TEAM) Laboratory,
Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering,
University of Toronto Institute for Sustainable Energy,
Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering,
University of Toronto,
5 King's College Road,
Toronto, ON M5S 3G8, Canada
Search for other works by this author on:
H. Liu,
H. Liu
Thermofluids for Energy and Advanced
Materials (TEAM) Laboratory,
Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering,
University of Toronto Institute for Sustainable Energy,
Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering,
University of Toronto,
5 King's College Road,
Toronto, ON M5S 3G8, Canada
Materials (TEAM) Laboratory,
Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering,
University of Toronto Institute for Sustainable Energy,
Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering,
University of Toronto,
5 King's College Road,
Toronto, ON M5S 3G8, Canada
Search for other works by this author on:
J. Lee,
J. Lee
Thermofluids for Energy and Advanced
Materials (TEAM) Laboratory,
Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering,
University of Toronto Institute for Sustainable Energy,
Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering,
University of Toronto,
5 King's College Road,
Toronto, ON M5S 3G8, Canada
Materials (TEAM) Laboratory,
Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering,
University of Toronto Institute for Sustainable Energy,
Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering,
University of Toronto,
5 King's College Road,
Toronto, ON M5S 3G8, Canada
Search for other works by this author on:
R. Yip,
R. Yip
Thermofluids for Energy and Advanced
Materials (TEAM) Laboratory,
Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering,
University of Toronto Institute for Sustainable Energy,
Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering,
University of Toronto,
5 King's College Road,
Toronto, ON M5S 3G8, Canada
Materials (TEAM) Laboratory,
Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering,
University of Toronto Institute for Sustainable Energy,
Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering,
University of Toronto,
5 King's College Road,
Toronto, ON M5S 3G8, Canada
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K. Han,
K. Han
Fuel Cell R&D Group,
Eco Technology Center,
Research & Development Division,
Hyundai Motor Company,
Yongin-si 16891, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
Eco Technology Center,
Research & Development Division,
Hyundai Motor Company,
Yongin-si 16891, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
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B. K. Hong,
B. K. Hong
Fuel Cell Research Lab.,
Eco Technology Center,
Research & Development Division,
Hyundai Motor Company,
Yongin-si 16891, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
Eco Technology Center,
Research & Development Division,
Hyundai Motor Company,
Yongin-si 16891, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
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A. Bazylak
A. Bazylak
Thermofluids for Energy and Advanced
Materials (TEAM) Laboratory,
Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering,
Institute for Sustainable Energy,
Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering,
University of Toronto,
5 King's College Road,
Toronto, ON M5S 3G8, Canada
e-mail: abazylak@mie.utoronto.ca
Materials (TEAM) Laboratory,
Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering,
Institute for Sustainable Energy,
Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering,
University of Toronto,
5 King's College Road,
Toronto, ON M5S 3G8, Canada
e-mail: abazylak@mie.utoronto.ca
Search for other works by this author on:
R. Banerjee
Thermofluids for Energy and Advanced
Materials (TEAM) Laboratory,
Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering,
University of Toronto Institute for Sustainable Energy,
Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering,
University of Toronto,
5 King's College Road,
Toronto, ON M5S 3G8, Canada
Materials (TEAM) Laboratory,
Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering,
University of Toronto Institute for Sustainable Energy,
Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering,
University of Toronto,
5 King's College Road,
Toronto, ON M5S 3G8, Canada
S. Chevalier
Thermofluids for Energy and Advanced
Materials (TEAM) Laboratory,
Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering,
University of Toronto Institute for Sustainable Energy,
Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering,
University of Toronto,
5 King's College Road,
Toronto, ON M5S 3G8, Canada
Materials (TEAM) Laboratory,
Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering,
University of Toronto Institute for Sustainable Energy,
Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering,
University of Toronto,
5 King's College Road,
Toronto, ON M5S 3G8, Canada
H. Liu
Thermofluids for Energy and Advanced
Materials (TEAM) Laboratory,
Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering,
University of Toronto Institute for Sustainable Energy,
Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering,
University of Toronto,
5 King's College Road,
Toronto, ON M5S 3G8, Canada
Materials (TEAM) Laboratory,
Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering,
University of Toronto Institute for Sustainable Energy,
Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering,
University of Toronto,
5 King's College Road,
Toronto, ON M5S 3G8, Canada
J. Lee
Thermofluids for Energy and Advanced
Materials (TEAM) Laboratory,
Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering,
University of Toronto Institute for Sustainable Energy,
Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering,
University of Toronto,
5 King's College Road,
Toronto, ON M5S 3G8, Canada
Materials (TEAM) Laboratory,
Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering,
University of Toronto Institute for Sustainable Energy,
Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering,
University of Toronto,
5 King's College Road,
Toronto, ON M5S 3G8, Canada
R. Yip
Thermofluids for Energy and Advanced
Materials (TEAM) Laboratory,
Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering,
University of Toronto Institute for Sustainable Energy,
Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering,
University of Toronto,
5 King's College Road,
Toronto, ON M5S 3G8, Canada
Materials (TEAM) Laboratory,
Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering,
University of Toronto Institute for Sustainable Energy,
Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering,
University of Toronto,
5 King's College Road,
Toronto, ON M5S 3G8, Canada
K. Han
Fuel Cell R&D Group,
Eco Technology Center,
Research & Development Division,
Hyundai Motor Company,
Yongin-si 16891, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
Eco Technology Center,
Research & Development Division,
Hyundai Motor Company,
Yongin-si 16891, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
B. K. Hong
Fuel Cell Research Lab.,
Eco Technology Center,
Research & Development Division,
Hyundai Motor Company,
Yongin-si 16891, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
Eco Technology Center,
Research & Development Division,
Hyundai Motor Company,
Yongin-si 16891, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
A. Bazylak
Thermofluids for Energy and Advanced
Materials (TEAM) Laboratory,
Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering,
Institute for Sustainable Energy,
Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering,
University of Toronto,
5 King's College Road,
Toronto, ON M5S 3G8, Canada
e-mail: abazylak@mie.utoronto.ca
Materials (TEAM) Laboratory,
Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering,
Institute for Sustainable Energy,
Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering,
University of Toronto,
5 King's College Road,
Toronto, ON M5S 3G8, Canada
e-mail: abazylak@mie.utoronto.ca
1Corresponding author.
Manuscript received July 1, 2017; final manuscript received August 19, 2017; published online October 4, 2017. Assoc. Editor: Partha P. Mukherjee.
J. Electrochem. En. Conv. Stor. Feb 2018, 15(1): 011002 (10 pages)
Published Online: October 4, 2017
Article history
Received:
July 1, 2017
Revised:
August 19, 2017
Citation
Banerjee, R., Chevalier, S., Liu, H., Lee, J., Yip, R., Han, K., Hong, B. K., and Bazylak, A. (October 4, 2017). "A Comparison of Felt-Type and Paper-Type Gas Diffusion Layers for Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell Applications Using X-Ray Techniques." ASME. J. Electrochem. En. Conv. Stor. February 2018; 15(1): 011002. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4037766
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