Novel Cathode Manufacturing for Improved Fuel Cell Performance

Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFCs) are an attractive option for vehicle applications due to their low emissions and high fuel efficiency compared to traditional combustion engines. However, effective water management is crucial for their performance, as excess water can lead to flooding, hindering sustained operation. To address this challenge, various methods and additives have been explored as cost-effective strategies to enhance gas accessibility and mitigate flooding within the catalyst layer. In this work, at a fixed cathode loading, polystyrene microspheres (3.16 µm) are varied by weight percentage to induce varying degrees of porosity. Active electrochemical surface area and catalyst utilization are determined via cyclic voltammetry (CV) and X-ray diffraction (XRD), while the overall performance is assessed using polarization (VIR curves) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS).