• Journal of Ceramic Processing Research
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• v.18 no.11
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• pp.810-814
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• 2017

Proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) are some of the most efficient electrochemical energy sources for transportation applications because of their clean, green, and high efficiency characteristics. The optimization of catalyst layer morphology is considered a feasible approach to achieve high performance of PEMFC membrane electrode assembly (MEA). In this work, we studied the effect of the solvent on the catalyst layer of PEMFC MEAs fabricated using the electrostatic spray deposition method. The catalyst ink comprised of Pt/C, a Nafion ionomer, and a solvent. Two types of solvent were used: isopropyl alcohol (IPA) and dimethylformamide (DMF). Compared with the catalyst layer prepared using IPA-based ink, the catalyst layer prepared with DMF-based ink had a dense structure because the DMF dispersed the Pt/C-Nafion agglomerates smaller and more homogeneously. The size distribution of the agglomerates in catalyst ink was confirmed through Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) and the microstructure of the catalyst layer was compared using field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM). In addition, the electrochemical investigation was performed to evaluate the solvent effect on the fuel cell performance. The catalyst layer prepared with DMF-based ink significantly enhanced the cell performance (1.2 A cm-2 at 0.5 V) compared with that fabricated using IPA-based ink (0.5 A cm-2 at 0.5 V) due to the better dispersion and uniform agglomeration on the catalyst layer.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Navigation and Port Research Conference
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• 2022.11a
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• pp.162-163
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• 2022

Maritime transportation is going to transfer to alternative fuels as a result of the worldwide demands toward decarbonization and tougher maritime emissions regulations. Methanol is considered as a potential marine fuel, which has the ability to reduce SOx and CO₂ emissions, reduce climate change effects, and achieve the objective of green shipping. This work proposes and combines the innovative combination system of direct methanol solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC), proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC), gas turbines (GT), and organic Rankine cycles (ORC) for maritime vessels. The system's primary power source is the SOFC, while the GT and PEMFC use the waste heat from the SOFC to generate useful power and improve the system's ability to use waste heat. Each component's thermodynamics model and the combined system's model are established and examined. The multigeneration system's energy and exergy efficiency are 76.2% and 30.3%, respectively. When compared to a SOFC stand-alone system, the energy efficiency of the GT and PEMFC system is increased by 19.2%. The use of PEMFC linked SOFC has significant efficiency when a ship is being started or maneuvered and a quick response from the power and propulsion plant is required.

• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.333-348
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• 2023

In this study, a 3D model of the proton exchange membrane fuel cell is established, and a new 3D baffle structure is designed, which is combined with the parallel flow field and then optimized by numerical simulation methods. The number of baffles and the cross-sectional trapezoidal base angle are taken as the main variables, and their impacts on the performance indexes of the cathode side are analyzed. The results show that the 3D baffle can facilitate the convection and diffusion mass transfer of reactants, improve the uniformity of oxygen distribution, enhance the drainage capacity, and make the cell performance superior; however, too small angle will lead to excessive local convective mass flux, resulting in the decrease of the overall uniformity of oxygen distribution and lowering the cell performance. Among them, the optimal number of baffles and angle are 9 and 58°, respectively, which improves the net output power density by 10.8% than conventional flow field.

• Journal of Hydrogen and New Energy
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.465-477
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• 2023

In proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC), proper thermal management of the stack and moisture generation by electrochemical reactions significantly affect fuel cell performance. In this study, the PEMFC dynamic characteristic model was developed through Simcenter AMESim, a development program. In addition, the developed model aims to understand the thermal resin balance of the stack and performance characteristics for input loads. The developed model applies the thermal management model of the stack and the moisture content and permeability model to simulate voltage loss and stack thermal behavior precisely. This study extended the C based AMESet (adaptive modeling environment submodeling tool) to simulate electrochemical reactions inside the stack. Fuel cell model of AMESet was liberalized with AMESim and then integrated with the balance of plant (BOP) model and analyzed. And It is intended to be used in component design through BOP analysis. The resistance loss of the stack and thermal behavior characteristics were predicted, and the impact of stack performance and efficiency was evaluated.

• Journal of Hydrogen and New Energy
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.121-128
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• 2024

In this study, a dynamic simulation model of a heavy-duty truck, equipped with a fuel cell power-train, has been developed and the dynamic behavior of the fuel cell stack has bee investigated using. Output change simulations were performed according to several drive cycle load change of a fuel cell truck. Mathworks' Simulink and Simscape program were used to develop the model. The model is comprised of fuel cell power train, power converter system and truck vehicle part. The vehicle runs at targeted speed of the truck, which is set as the load of the system. The dynamic behavior of the fuel cell stack according to the weight difference were analyzed, and based on this, the dynamic characteristics of the fuel cell output power and battery state with simple load was analyzed.

• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.132-151
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• 2024

Proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) has received extensive attention as it is the most common hydrogen energy utilization device. This research not only investigated the effect of obstacle number and shape on PEMFC performance, but also studied the effect of the blockage degree in the channel of PEMFC on its performance. It was found that compared with traditional scheme, longitudinally distributed obstacles scheme can significantly promote reactants transfer to catalyst layer, and the blockage degree in the channel effect PEMFC performance most. The scheme with 10 rectangular obstacles in single channel and 60% channel blockage had the best output performance and the most uniform distribution of reactants and products. Obstacle height distribution can significantly affect PEMFC performance, the blockage degree in the whole basin was large, particularly as the channel was blocked to higher degree in region 2 and region 3, higher net power density and better mass transfer effect can be obtained. Among them, the fuel cell with the blockage degree of 40%, 60% and 60% in region 1, region 2 and region 3 have the best PEMFC output performance and mass transfer, the net power density was 29.8% higher than that of traditional scheme.

• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.373-387
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• 2024

The layout of the cathode flow field largely determines the net output power of the proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC). To make the normal mass transfer effect best, the longitudinal channel was waved based on four serpentine flow channels, and the effects of sag depth and longitudinal channel width on the output efficiency of the cell were explored. The results show that the wave channel design systematically enhances the forced convection between adjacent channels, which can prevent a large zone of oxygen starvation zone at the outlet of the channel. The increase of the normal velocity in the gas transmission process will inevitably induce a significant enhancement of the mass transfer effect and obtain a higher current density in the reaction zone. For the longitudinal channel width, it is found that increasing its size in the effective range can greatly reduce the channel pressure drop without reducing the output power, thereby improving the overall efficiency. When the sag depth and longitudinal channel width gradient are 0.6 mm and 0.2 mm respectively, PEMFC can obtain the best comprehensive performance.

• Journal of the Korean Magnetics Society
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• v.11 no.6
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• pp.272-277
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• 2001

A spin valve structure of Ta/NiFe/CoFe/Cu/CoFe/Ru/CoFe/FeMn/Ta which has a synthetic antiferromagnet (CoFe/Ru/CoFe), was fabricated by using a magnetron sputtering system. The thickness and composition of magnetic free and pinned layers affect the magnetic properties such as exchange interaction strength of each layer and so on. Even though Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry (RBS) has advantages of quantitative and non-destructive analysis, it is almost impossible to determine the thickness and composition of magnetic thin films using lBS because of its poor mass resolution for a higher atom number (Z>20). In this study, quantitative analysis of the element composition and thickness for the spin valve sample was performed by combining both Proton Induced X-ray Emission Spectrometry (PIXE), which is one of element specific analysis techniques, and grazing-exit RBS with a highly improved depth resolution and absolute quantitative analysis. For the quantitative analysis, standardization of PIXE was carried out with NiFe, CoFe, and FeMn layers, which are one of constituent layers of spin valve films. Through PIXE standardization and the aid of PHE experimental results of the spin valve sample, ire overlapped signal in a grazing-exit RBS spectrum were successfully resolved and the thickness of the Ru layer was determined with a resolution of ∼1 .

• Membrane Journal
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.299-305
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• 2011

This study deals with the preparation of polymeric electrolyte membranes having high durability for the application of fuel cells. The membranes under investigation were prepared the impregnation to porous polyethylene membranes with poly(vinyl alcohol)(PVA), poly(styrene sulfonic acid-co-maleic acid), and (PSSA-MA)3-(trihydroxysilyl)-1-propanesulfonic acid (THS-PSA). To characterize the resulting membranes, the water contents, the contact angles, FT-IR, the proton conductivity and the the modulus were measured. The proton conductivity of 30% content of THS-PSA at $55^{\circ}C$ gave excellent $1.27{\times}10^{-1}S/cm$ and the mechanical strength was improved 7 times higher up to the THS-PSA content 15%, as a result, the durability was elevated extensively.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.45-51
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• 2010

This study focuses on the investigation of the possibility of the crosslinked poly (vinyl alcohol) membranes with both poly (acrylic acid-co-maleic acid) (PAM) and 3-(trihydroxysilyl)-1-propane-sulfonic acid (THS-PSA) for the direct methanol fuel cell application. In order to characterize the prepared membranes, the water content, the thermal gravimetric analysis, the ion exchange capacity, the ion conductivity and the methanol permeability measurements were carried out and then compared with the existing Nafion 115 membrane. The ion exchange capacity of the resulting membranes showed 1.6~1.8 meq./g membrane which was improved than Nafion 115, 0.91 meq./g membrane. In the case of the proton conductivity, the THS-PSA introduced membranes gave more excellent $0.042{\sim}0.056\;S{\cdot}cm^{-1}$ than Nafion 115, $0.024\;S{\cdot}cm^{-1}$. On the other hand, the methanol permeability was increased more than Nafion 115 for all the range of THA-PSA concentration.