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Understanding limitations in an operating AEMFC is essential to enhance the technology. Here the electrode processes are studied experimentally as well as by two physics-based models taking the porosity of the electrodes into account. The aim is to use the models to determine kinetic parameters specific for in-situ operation. The models can also be used to explain the experimental behavior. From the impedance model of a symmetric H2/H2 cell it is shown that the hydrogen oxidation reaction (HOR) proceeds through the Tafel-Volmer reaction pathway, with the hydrogen adsorption as the slower reaction step. Based on the HOR model a steady-state model of an O2/H2cell is used to evaluate data from 14 experimental I-V curves, obtained for different gas partial pressures and catalyst loadings, in order to study the effects of the oxygen reduction reaction and overall cell limitations. The results show that the oxygen reduction reaction kinetics limit the cell performance for low current densities. However, at higher currents the uneven current distribution and locally low hydrogen adsorption at the anode increasingly affect the overall performance. Uneven current distribution is also observed at the cathode and likely caused by insufficient effective ionomer conductivity

Inexpensive and environmentally friendly electrolyte polymers that can be operated at higher temperatures and drier conditions are highly interesting for PEM fuel cells for automotive, portable power and stationary electricity generation applications. In this study an ionomer based on polysulfone grafted with poly(vinylphosphonic acid) (PSUgPVPA) in the cathode Pt/C catalyst layer (CL) was electrochemically characterized and compared to Nafion. The performance at different levels of humidity at 80 ºC was evaluated by polarization and cyclic voltammetry. The results show that the performance of the PSUgPVPA-based cathode CL is comparable to that of Nafion at 100% relative humidity (RH) but with some instabilities. However, at drier conditions significant losses of performance for the PSUgPVPA-based cathode was observed, concomitant to a reduced electrochemical surface area. The lower performance at low humidity is concluded to be due to a combination of lower proton conductivity and wettability or interference with oxygen reduction reaction at lower RH.

This paper aim to discuss a proper measure of the electrochemical active area of carbon supported Pt nanoparticle catalyst used in polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cells. The cyclic voltammetric determination of hydrogen under potential deposition (Hupd) and carbon monoxide monolayer oxidation (CO stripping) performed in a fuel cell at fuel cell relevant conditions are compared and the influences of operation temperature (25-80 {degree sign}C) and relative humidity (RH) (40-90% RH) are discussed. The results show that both the shape and the charge of the Hupd are strongly dependent on operating conditions. However, for the CO stripping experiments only a negative shift in potential with increasing temperature or humidity was observed in accordance with results from aqueous electrolytes, whereas the charges for CO monolayer oxidation were almost constant for the temperatures investigated.