From catalyst coated membranes to porous transport electrode based configurations in PEM water electrolyzers

Buehler M, Holzapfel P, Mclaughlin D, Thiele S (2019)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2019

Journal

Journal of The Electrochemical Society Electrochemical Society

Book Volume: 166

Pages Range: F1070-F1078

Journal Issue: 14

DOI: 10.1149/2.0581914jes

Abstract

So far the superior cell polarization behavior of membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) using catalyst coated membranes (CCMs) as compared to those using porous transport electrodes (PTEs) was a paradigm in proton exchange membrane water electrolyzers (PEMWEs). However, this paradigm was so far neither systematically investigated nor understood. In this study, we investigate the changes in PEMWE polarization behavior upon gradually changing the MEA from a full CCM toward a full PTE-type configuration. We explain all observed findings based on the idea for a structural model of discontinuous catalyst layers. Our results show, that for current densities above 750 mA cm−2, PTE-based MEAs can result in a better polarization behavior than CCMs. Therefore, the prevailing paradigm was disproved. CCMs showed better kinetics, while PTE-type configurations performed more reproducible than CCMs despite rougher surfaces. Due to the trend of a stabilizing HFR-free cell voltage, an improved mass transport behavior of the PTE-type configurations at high current densities is assumed. Within the error-tolerance, no clear differences between PTE and CCM-based configurations in ohmic resistance could be determined. We conclude that PTE-based configurations for PEMWE, as alternatives to standard CCM-configurations, could be highly important for future manufacturing techniques depending on the application’s needs.

Authors with CRIS profile

Simon Thiele Professur für Electrocatalytic Interface Engineering (HIERN)

Involved external institutions

Forschungszentrum Jülich / Research Centre Jülich (FZJ) DE Germany (DE) Hahn-Schickard-Gesellschaft für angewandte Forschung e.V. (HSG) DE Germany (DE)

How to cite

APA:

Buehler, M., Holzapfel, P., Mclaughlin, D., & Thiele, S. (2019). From catalyst coated membranes to porous transport electrode based configurations in PEM water electrolyzers. Journal of The Electrochemical Society, 166(14), F1070-F1078. https://doi.org/10.1149/2.0581914jes

MLA:

Buehler, Melanie, et al. "From catalyst coated membranes to porous transport electrode based configurations in PEM water electrolyzers." Journal of The Electrochemical Society 166.14 (2019): F1070-F1078.

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