@article{30554, keywords = {Modeling, Diagnostics, PEFC}, author = {Lalit M Pant and Zhiwei Yang and Michael L Perry and Adam Z Weber}, title = {Development of a Simple and Rapid Diagnostic Method for Polymer-Electrolyte Fuel Cells}, abstract = {

A simple and fast diagnostic tool has been developed for analyzing polymer-electrolyte fuel-cell degradation. The tool is based on analyzing changes in polarization curves of a cell over its lifetime. The shape of the polarization-change curve and its sensitivity to oxygen concentration are found to be unique for each degradation pathway based on analysis from a detailed 2-D numerical model of the cell. Using the polarization-change curve methodology, the primary mechanism for degradation (kinetic, ohmic, and/or transport related) can be identified. The technique is applied to two sets of data to explain performance changes after two different cells undergo voltage-cycling accelerated stress test, where it is found that changes are kinetic and then ohmic or transport in nature depending on the cell type. The diagnostic tool provides a simple method for rapid determination of primary degradation mechanisms. Areas for more detailed future investigations are also summarized.

}, year = {2018}, journal = {Journal of The Electrochemical Society}, volume = {165}, pages = {F3007 - F3014}, month = {01/2018}, issn = {0013-4651}, doi = {10.1149/2.0011806jes}, language = {eng}, }