Grooved electrodes for high-power-density fuel cells

Proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) are leading candidates to decarbonize the transport sector, but widespread deployment will require improvements in lifetime, fuel economy and cost. This paper introduces the grooved electrode, an alternative electrode structure that enhances PEMFC performance and durability by coupling high ionomer content for improved H+ transport with grooves for rapid O2 transport. Grooved electrodes demonstrate up to 50% higher performance than conventional electrodes under standard conditions. Fuel cell diagnostics and multiphysics modeling reveal that grooved electrodes facilitate O2 transport despite high ionomer content, leading to improved reaction rate uniformity. They also show improved durability with less performance loss after carbon corrosion. Machine learning analysis suggests further optimization potential for enhanced performance and durability, enabling smaller, cheaper, and more fuel-efficient fuel cell stacks.

ChungHyuk Lee, Wilton J. M. Kort-Kamp, Haoran Yu, David A. Cullen, Brian M. Patterson, Tanvir Alam Arman, Siddharth Komini Babu, Rangachary Mukundan, Rod L. Borup, Jacob S. Spendelow