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UNIVERSITY OF BUCHAREST
FACULTY OF PHYSICS Guest
2024-11-22 2:02 |
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Conference: Bucharest University Faculty of Physics 2024 Meeting
Section: Physics and Technology of Renewable and Alternative Energy Sources
Title:
Performance evaluation of proton exchange membrane fuel cell
with graphene as microporous layer
Authors:
Marc TORFEH(1), Adriana-Elena BĂLAN(1), Alexandra Maria Isabel Trefilov(2)
Affiliation:
1) University of Bucharest, Faculty of Physics, 405 Atomiștilor str., PO Box MG-38, Bucharest-Măgurele, Romania
2) National Institute for Lasers, Plasma and Radiation Physics, 409 Atomiștilor, PO Box MG-16, 077125 Măgurele-Bucharest, Romania
E-mail
marc.torfeh@gmail.com
Keywords:
Graphene, Microporous layer, PEM fuel cell
Abstract:
Proton exchange membrane fuel cells emerged as promising substitute to fossil fuels, since the working principle is implies a clean convertion of the chemical energy of a hydrogen into electricity over a proper catalyst having water as by-product. Water management- membrane humidification and removal of excess water from the cathode- and also fuel feeding to the catalyst layer, temperature, and contact resistance is affected by the microporous layer (MPL). MPL is the intermediate layer between the catalyst and gas diffusion layer. In this work, we have tested the overall performance of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell with commercial graphene as MPL. The membrane-electrode assembly (MEA) of the fuel cells was made from a Nafion electrolyte with Pt/C (60%) nanoparticles as a catalyst. The gas diffusion layer was obtained by spraying graphene and 10% Teflon solution as MPL onto carbon paper. Graphene MPL- MEA performances were studied at different values of humidity and temperature and compared to a similar MEA with carbon black as MPL. The reference MEA was prepared and tested under the same experimental conditions. Enhanced performances up to 8% in power density under a wide range of humidity conditions and temperatures prove that graphene is a potential MPL material in fuel cells, due to its high electrical and thermal conductivity.
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