Paganin Valdecir A, Sakita Alan M P, Lopes Thiago, Ticianelli Edson A, Perez Joelma
São Carlos Institute of Chemistry, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 13560-970, Brazil.
Research Centre for Greenhouse Gas Innovation-RCGI and Escola Politecnica, University of São Paulo, Av. Professor Mello Moraes, São Paulo 13560-970, Brazil.
Membranes (Basel). 2025 Feb 20;15(3):65. doi: 10.3390/membranes15030065.
The conversion of chemical energy to electricity in proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) is essential for replacing fossil fuel engines and achieving net-zero CO emissions. In the pursuit of more efficient PEMFCs, certain often-overlooked parameters significantly influence cell performance by either weakening the interaction between the catalytic layer (CL) and the membrane or restricting gas access to the CL. This study examines the effects of cell tightening and hot-pressing conditions on three similar-thickness perfluorosulfonic acid (PFSA) membranes: Aquivion, Fumapem, and Nafion. The results reveal that the hot-pressing method employing higher pressure and a lower temperature (125C method) yields lower fuel cell performance compared to the method utilizing a higher temperature and lower pressure (145C method). Furthermore, incorporating cellulose paper as a pressure homogenizer in the MEA preparation setup significantly improved current density by approximately 2.5 times compared to the traditional assembly method. Cyclic voltammetry with Ar-feed in the cathode showed that all prepared MEAs exhibited a similar platinum surface area; however, MEAs pressed at higher temperatures displayed slightly lower hydrogen desorption charge values. The torque applied to the bolts does not show a consistent trend in fuel cell performance, but optimal torque values can enhance PEMFC performance under certain conditions.
质子交换膜燃料电池（PEMFC）中化学能向电能的转换对于取代化石燃料发动机和实现二氧化碳净零排放至关重要。在追求更高效率的PEMFC过程中，某些常被忽视的参数会显著影响电池性能，要么削弱催化层（CL）与膜之间的相互作用，要么限制气体进入CL。本研究考察了电池紧固和热压条件对三种厚度相近的全氟磺酸（PFSA）膜的影响：Aequivion、Fumapem和Nafion。结果表明，与采用较高温度和较低压力的方法（145℃方法）相比，采用较高压力和较低温度的热压方法（125℃方法）产生的燃料电池性能较低。此外，在MEA制备装置中加入纤维素纸作为压力均化器，与传统组装方法相比，电流密度显著提高了约2.5倍。阴极通入氩气的循环伏安法表明，所有制备的MEA都表现出相似的铂表面积；然而，在较高温度下压制成的MEA显示出略低的氢脱附电荷量值。施加在螺栓上的扭矩在燃料电池性能方面没有呈现出一致的趋势，但在某些条件下，最佳扭矩值可以提高PEMFC的性能。
