Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society (한국수소및신에너지학회논문집)

The Korean Hydrogen and New Energy Society (한국수소및신에너지학회)
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Degradation of Polymer Electrolyte Membrane under Low Current/Low Humidity Conditions

저전류/저가습 조건에서 고분자전해질 막 열화

  • Kim, Tae-Hee (Department of Chemical Engineering, Sunchon National University) ;
  • Lee, Jung-Hun (Polymer Electrolyte & Fuel Cell Research Group, Korea Institute of Energy Research) ;
  • Lee, Ho (Department of Chemical Engineering, Sunchon National University) ;
  • Lim, Tae-Won (HMC Eco Technology Research Institute) ;
  • Park, Kwon-Pil (Department of Chemical Engineering, Sunchon National University)
  • 김태희 (순천대학교 화학공학과) ;
  • 이정훈 (한국에너지기술연구원 고분자연료전지 연구단) ;
  • 이호 (순천대학교 화학공학과) ;
  • 임태원 (현대자동차 환경기술연구소) ;
  • 박권필 (순천대학교 화학공학과)
  • Published : 2007.06.15
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Abstract

During PEMFC operation, low current and low humidity conditions accelerate the degradation of perfluorosulfonic acid membrane. But, there have been no studies that clearly explain why these conditions accelerate the membrane degradation. In this study, the hydrogen permeability through the membrane, I-V polarization of MEA, fluoride emission rate(FER) in effluent water were measured during cell operation under low current densities and low relative humidity(RH). The experimental results were evaluated with oxygen radical mechanism the most commonly known for membrane degradation. It seems that low RH of anode is a good condition for $H{\cdot}$ radical formation on the Pt catalyst and the low current condition accelerates the $H{\cdot}$ to form $HO_2{\cdot}$ radical attacking the polymer membrane.

Keywords

References

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