• Journal of Hydrogen and New Energy
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.311-319
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• 2013

A clear understanding on cell voltage-reversal behavior due to local hydrogen starvation in a stack is of paramount importance to operate the fuel cell vehicle (FCV) stably since it affects significantly the cell performance and durability. In the present study, a novel experimental method to simulate the local cell voltage-reversal behavior caused by local hydrogen starvation, which typically occurs only one or several cells out of several hundred cells in a stack of FCV, has been proposed. Contrary to the conventional method of overall fuel starvation, the present method of local hydrogen starvation caused the local cell voltage-reversal behavior in a stack very well. Degradation of both membrane electrode assembly (i.e., pin-hole formation) and gas diffusion layer due to an excessive exothermic heat under voltage-reversal condition was also observed clearly.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.277-282
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• 2010

Durability of automotive polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) strongly depends the startup/shutdown procedure. Formation of hydrogen/air boundary in the anode gas channel, so-called reverse current condition, particularly induces fast degradation of the cathode. Under the reverse current condition, high voltage is present at the cathode facing air in the anode gas channel and is a function of residual oxygen concentration in the gas channels, that increases with storage time and reaches 21% (air) eventually. In this study, effects of residual oxygen concentration in a PEMFC on degradation of the PEMFC.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.29 no.5 s.236
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• pp.647-654
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• 2005

This research Proposes a Process design of injection molded microcellular plastic gears for enhancing the fatigue strength/durability and accuracy of the gears applying thermodynamic instability to microcellular foaming process. To develop the injection molded plastic gears by way of microceliular process, it is absolutely necessary the following two process design. The first is microcellular forming process for enhancing the strength/durability of plastic gears. To be microcellular process succeeded, based on the microcellular principle, mechanical apparatus is designed where nucleation and cell growth are to be generated renewably. The second is the counter pressure process which is mainly fur improving the tooth surface roughness and the accuracy of microcellular gears. For the former process, screw, nozzle and gas equipment are newly designed, and for the latter, counter pressure by nitrogen gas is intentionally brought about into mold cavity when injecting plastic gears. Based on the proposed process design, using gear mold, experiments of injection molding show that, in internal space of plastic gears, microcellular nuclear cells less than 5 lim in diameter have been generated homogeneously via electron microscope photos.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2013.02a
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• pp.598-598
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• 2013

The short lifetime of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC) is the one of the main problems to be solved for commercializing. Especially, the weak adhesion between metal nanoparticles and supports deteriorate the performances of nanocatalysts, therefore, it is considered to be a major failure mechanism. Using force-distance spectroscopy of atomic force microscopy (AFM), we characterized the adhesion between Pt nanoparticles and carbon supports that is crucially related to the durability for membrane fuel cell (MFC) electrode. In our study, force distance curves measured with Pt coated AFM cantilever, mimicking the behavior of corresponding nanoparticles on carbon supports, leads to the adhesion between metal nanoparticles and carbon supports. We found that theadhesion between Pt and HNO3-treated carbon is enhanced by a factor of 4, compared to Pt and bare carbon support, that is consistent with the macroscopic durability test of PEMFC. The higher adhesion between Pt and HNO3-treated carbon can be explained in light of the stronger chemical interaction by C/O functional groups.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.301-305
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• 2010

In this study, the alkaline degreasing agent was developed for electroplating pretreatment process, and the efficiency and the durability was predicted. The alkaline deeping degreasing agent was prepared by blending sodium hydroxide (NaOH), sodium carbonate ($Na_2CO_3$), sodium silicate ($Na_2SiO_3$), and sodium lauric sulfate (SLS). The performance tests of the degreasing agent were evaluated in the $40{\sim}50^{\circ}C$ of the degreasing temperature and 30~40 min of the degreasing time. The efficiency and durability of the prepared degreasing agent were tested by the waterdrop formation test and Hull-cell plating test. The optimum ratio of alkaline degreasing agent was NaOH (30 g/L) + SLS (6.0 g/L) + $Na_2SiO_3$ (2.0 g/L) + $Na_2CO_3$ (40 g/L). Also, the optimum degreasing conditions were $50^{\circ}C$ of the degreasing temperature and 35 min of the degreasing time.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.52 no.2
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• pp.103-107
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• 2015

The effective glass frit composition used to absorb laser energy and to seal commercial dye-sensitized solar cell panel substrates has been previously developed using $V_2O_5-TeO_2$-based glass with 10 wt% ${\beta}$-eucryptite as a CTE controlling filler. The optimum sealing conditions are provided using a 3 mm beam, a laser power of 40 watt, a scan speed of 300 mm/s, and 200 irradiation cycles. In this study, the feasibility of the developed glass frit is investigated in terms of the sealing strength and chemical durability against the commercial iodide/triiodide electrolyte solution and fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) electrode in order to increase the solar cell lifetime. The sealing strength of the laser-sealed $V_2O_5-TeO_2$-based glass frit is $20.5{\pm}1.7MPa$, which is higher than those of thermally sealed glass frit and other reported glass frit. Furthermore, the developed glass frit is chemically stable against electrolyte solutions. The glass frit constituents are not leached out from the glass after soaking in the electrolyte solution for up to three months. During the laser sealing, the glass frit does not react with the FTO electrode; thus, the resistivity of the FTO electrode beneath the laser-sealed area remains the same.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Gas
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.65-72
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• 2024

Green Hydrogen demonstration complex is under conduction in Jeju island which is rich in renewable energy resources and will produces green hydrogen using a water electrolysis systems. In order to check durability of long-term operation, AST(accelerated stress test) was applied and the power pattern based on Jeju Island's wind power was applied. After 800 hours of repeated application of low current and high current, the performance of the PEM water electrolysis cell was reduced by up to 10% and by about 5.5% in operating conditions. As the result of impedance analysis, it can be seen that the electrode polarization resistance greatly increased than ohmic polarization resistance. In addition, when the durability evaluation was conducted by applying the wind power pattern of Jeju Island, the performance of the PEM water electrolysis cell showed up to 1.6% and a decrease of less than 1% in operating conditions. As a result of the impedance, it can be seen that the change of ohmic resistance and electrode polarization resistance is small.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.61 no.4
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• pp.517-522
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• 2023

A chemical/mechanical durability test of polymer membrane evaluation method is used in which air and hydrogen are supplied to the proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) and wet/dry is repeated in the open circuit voltage (OCV) state. In this protocol, when wet/dry is repeated, voltage increase/decrease is repeated, resulting in electrode degradation. When the membrane durability is excellent, the number of voltage changes increases and the evaluation is terminated due to electrode degradation, which may cause a problem that the original purpose of membrane durability evaluation cannot be performed. In this study, the same protocol as the department of energy (DOE) was used, but oxygen was used instead of air as the cathode gas, and the wet/dry time and flow rate were also increased to increase the chemical/mechanical degradation rate of the membrane, thereby shortening the durability evaluation time of the membrane to improve these problems. The durability test of the Nafion 211 membrane electrode assembly (MEA) was completed after 2,300 cycles by increasing the acceleration by 2.6 times using oxygen instead of air. This protocol also accelerated degradation of the membrane and accelerated degradation of the electrode catalyst, which also had the advantage of simultaneously evaluating the durability of the membrane and the electrode.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2007.06a
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• pp.93-96
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• 2007

Recently, much attentions have been paid on the commercialization of PEMFC, especially for the applications of residential and portable. In order to achieve the early commercialization of PEMFC, thee are two hurdles to overcome. One is cost down and the other is improvement of durability of the system components. Numerous companies have tried to reduce the production cost and the main research topics have been changed from performance to durability improvement. In this work, acceleration test were performed to find and evaluate the main reason of degradation of the MEA(membrane-electrode assembly) which is one of the core component of the PEMFC system. Based upon the test results, a way to make durable MEA was suggested. Acceleration tests were made by applying high voltage of 1.2V to the several kinds of single cells to increase the growth of catalyst particles. Cell performance, ac-impedance and electrochemically active area measurements were made atfter every 8 hours of acceleration test. Degradations of catalyst and membrane were examined by SEM, TEM and XRD. Obtained results were discussed in terms of structural stability and loss of catalyt and ionomers in the electrode layer. In addition, the way to make highly durable MEA was suggested.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.691-695
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• 2017

Optimization study was carried out to improve the durability of the gas diffusion layer (GDL) in alkaline fuel cell cathode by the use of highly stable PDMS superhydrophobic coating. Two different commercial GDLs were selected as substrates. Coating temperature and viscosity of PDMS were controlled for the stability of structure in microporous layer of GDL as well as uniform coating according to thermal characteristics of GDL. Regardless of PDMS viscosity, highly stable superhydrophobicities were obtained with both GDLs at $200^{\circ}C$. After the accelerated test, however, 28BC GDL coated with 1000 CS PDMS showed the best durability with the lowest loss of superhydrophobicity.