Probing water distribution in compressed fuel-cell gas-diffusion layers using X-ray computed tomography

Publication Type

Journal Article

Date Published

04/2015

Authors

Iryna V. Zenyuk, Dilworth Y. Parkinson, Gisuk Hwang, Adam Z. Weber

DOI

Abstract

X-ray computed tomography was used to investigate geometrical land and channel effects on spatial liquid-water distribution in gas-diffusion layers (GDLs) of polymer-electrolyte fuel cells under different levels of compression. At low compression, a uniform liquid-water front was observed due to water redistribution and uniform porosity; however, at high compression, the water predominantly advanced at locations under the channel for higher liquid pressures. At low compression, no apparent correlation between the spatial liquid water and porosity distributions was observed, whereas at high compression, a strong correlation was shown, indicating a potential for smart GDL architecture design with modulated porosity.

Journal

Electrochemistry Communications

Volume

53

Year of Publication

2015

ISSN

13882481

Organization

Research Areas