Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society (전기화학회지)

The Korean Electrochemical Society (한국전기화학회)
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Position-Dependent Cathode Degradation of Large Scale Membrane Electrode Assembly for Direct Methanol Fuel Cell

직접 메탄올 연료전지용 대면적 막-전극 접합체 공기극의 위치별 열화 현상

  • Kim, Soo-Kil (Center for Fuel Cell Research, Korea Institute of Science and Technology) ;
  • Lee, Eun-Sook (Energy Research Center, Hyupjin I&C) ;
  • Kim, Yi-Young (Center for Fuel Cell Research, Korea Institute of Science and Technology) ;
  • Kim, Jang-Mi (Center for Fuel Cell Research, Korea Institute of Science and Technology) ;
  • Joh, Han-Ik (Center for Fuel Cell Research, Korea Institute of Science and Technology) ;
  • Ha, Heung-Yong (Center for Fuel Cell Research, Korea Institute of Science and Technology)
  • 김수길 (한국과학기술연구원 연료전지연구단) ;
  • 이은숙 (협진 I&C 에너지 연구 센터) ;
  • 김이영 (한국과학기술연구원 연료전지연구단) ;
  • 김장미 (한국과학기술연구원 연료전지연구단) ;
  • 조한익 (한국과학기술연구원 연료전지연구단) ;
  • 하흥용 (한국과학기술연구원 연료전지연구단)
  • Published : 2009.05.30
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Abstract

With respect to the durability of large scale ($150cm^2$) membrane electrode assembly (MEA) of direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC), degradation phenomena at cathode is monitored and analyzed according to the position on the cathode surface. After constant current mode operation of large scale MEA for 500 hr, the MEA is divided into three parts along the cathode channel; (close to) inlet, middle, and (close to) outlet. The performance of each MEA is tested and it is revealed that the MEA from the cathode outlet of large MEA shows the worst performance. This is due to the catalyst degradation and GDL delamination caused by flooding at cathode outlet of large MEA during the 500 hr operation. Particularly on the catalyst degradation, the loss of electrochemically active surface area (ECSA) of catalyst gets worse along the cathode channel from inlet to outlet, of which the reason is believed to be loss of catalysts by dissolution and migration rather than their agglomeration. The extent of loss in the performance and catalyst degradation has strong relation to the cathode flooding and it is required to develop proper water management techniques and separator channel design to control the flooding.

대면적 ($150cm^2$) 막전극 접합체(MEA)를 사용하는 직접메탄올연료전지(DMFC)의 내구성과 관련하여, 장시간 운전에 따른 공기극의 열화 현상을 공기극면의 위치별로 고찰하였다. 500시간 동안 정전류 조건으로 운전한 대면적 MEA를 공기극 입구, 중간, 출구의 세 부분으로 분할 하여 각각의 MEA에 대한 성능을 관찰한 결과, 대면적 MEA 운전시 홍수 (flooding) 현상이 심했던 공기극 출구 쪽 MEA의 성능 저하가 두드러졌다. 이는 홍수 현상에 의한 촉매의 열화 및 GDL의 박리에 의한 것으로 판단된다. 이 중 특히 촉매의 열화 현상과 관련하여, 출구 방향으로 갈수록 촉매의 전기화학적 활성 면적의 감소가 관찰되나 이는 촉매 입자의 뭉침 (agglomeration) 현상에 의한 것이라기 보다는 촉매 입자의 용해 (dissolution)와 이동 (migration)으로 인한 촉매의 유실 때문인 것으로 판단된다. 전체적인 성능 감소 및 촉매의 열화 정도는 공기극의 홍수와 직접적인 비례관계가 있으며, 이를 해소하기 위한 물관리 기법 및 분리판 디자인의 개선이 요구된다.

Keywords

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