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Mathematical model of a gas diffusion electrode bonded to a polymer electrolyte
Author(s) -
Bernardi Dawn M.,
Verbrugge Mark W.
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
aiche journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.958
H-Index - 167
eISSN - 1547-5905
pISSN - 0001-1541
DOI - 10.1002/aic.690370805
Subject(s) - electrolyte , polarization (electrochemistry) , concentration polarization , electrode , chemistry , polymer , proton exchange membrane fuel cell , gas diffusion electrode , gaseous diffusion , membrane , clark electrode , partial pressure , oxygen , water transport , catalysis , analytical chemistry (journal) , chemical engineering , chromatography , organic chemistry , environmental engineering , biochemistry , water flow , engineering
A mathematical model for an ion‐exchange membrane attached to a gas‐fed porous electrode is derived and discussed. The model is applied to simulate the oxygen electrode of a polymer‐electrolyte fuel cell. Our discussion focuses on cell polarization characteristics, water transport, and catalyst utilization—all of which must be considered for fuel‐cell design. Calculated polarization behavior is shown to compare favorably with published experimental data. Our results indicate that if the membrane maintains full saturation, its contribution to the total cell resistance is most significant at higher operating current densities (greater than 200 mA/cm 2 ). Polarization resistance due to the oxygen reduction reaction appears to be important for all practical current densities. Water transport, driven by pressure and electric‐potential forces, is shown to be a complicated function of the cell operating conditions. The utilization and distribution of noble‐metal catalyst is discussed.