Exploring chances and limitations of high resolution 3D-printing for guided water percolation in gas diffusion layers of polymer electrolyte fuel cells

In polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFC), the design of the porous materials is of significant interest due to their crucial role in determining the cell performance. Additive manufacturing (AM) has emerged as a feasible method for producing complex structures, offering precision and customization which cannot be achieved by conventional manufacturing techniques. This study explores the potential of high-resolution 3D-printing to produce gas diffusion layers (GDL) specifically tailored for polymer electrolyte fuel cells. We demonstrate the advantages of the method, such as its ability to create complex features in a 3-dimensional framework, as well as the challenges it faces, including the accuracy, reliability, and handling of the sample. The findings highlight both the promising capabilities and the current limitations of additive manufacturing of GDL, providing insights into future research directions and technological enhancements required to fully leverage AM to produce next generation porous materials.