Study on the performance of PEM fuel cells

• Grant number: 17/03957-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: June 01, 2017
• End date: December 31, 2017
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry - Physical-Chemistry
• Principal Investigator: Joelma Perez
• Grantee: Victor Sanfins Cecon
• Host Institution: Instituto de Química de São Carlos (IQSC). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Carlos , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 13/16930-7 - Electrocatalysis V: electrocatalytic processes of chemical and electrical energy interconversion, AP.TEM

Abstract

Fuel cell research is growing every year, as environmental concerns increase. With these advances and their multiple uses, it aims to improve the performance of current technologies, such as PEM fuel cells, research of this project. By means of changes in the catalytic and diffusion layers of the electrodes used, it is expected an increase of the performance, measured through the polarization curves, always based on literature data, in order to support the experiments to be performed. Among the changes proposed in this project, we highlight the evaluation of different conditions for the pressing of the membrane / electrode assembly (MEA), the use of pore-promoting additives, such as ammonium carbonate, in addition to different diffusion layers, from traditional Toray paper, widely cited in several studies, and carbon cloth, which is widely used by the Electrochemical Group of the IQSC. No less important, the ionomer used is taken into account, alternatively we have the Aquivion " (Solvay Solexis) that emerged as a counterpoint to Dupont's pioneering Nafion®. The project has already started voluntarily by the student, in which some conclusions about the treatment of the membrane and the different press conditions of the MEA were obtained, which are relevant for the continuation of the project.