@article{6517, author = {Adam Z Weber}, title = {Improved modeling and understanding of diffusion-media wettability on polymer-electrolyte-fuel-cell performance}, abstract = {
A macroscopic-modeling methodology to account for the chemical and structural properties of fuel-cell diffusion media is developed. A previous model is updated to include for the first time the use of experimentally measured capillary pressure{\textendash}saturation relationships through the introduction of a Gaussian contact-angle distribution into the property equations. The updated model is used to simulate various limiting-case scenarios of water and gas transport in fuel-cell diffusion media. Analysis of these results demonstrate that interfacial conditions are more important than bulk transport in these layers, where the associated mass-transfer resistance is the result of higher capillary pressures at the boundaries and the\ steepness\ of the capillary pressure{\textendash}saturation relationship. The model is also used to examine the impact of a\ microporous\ layer, showing that it dominates the response of the overall diffusion medium. In addition, its primary mass-transfer-related effect is suggested to be limiting the\ water-injection\ sites into the more porous gas-diffusion layer.
}, year = {2010}, booktitle = {Journal of Power Sources}, journal = {Journal of Power Sources}, series = {Journal of Power Sources}, volume = {195}, number = {16}, pages = {5292-5304}, month = {08/2010}, doi = {10.1016/j.jpowsour.2010.03.011}, language = {eng}, }