TY - JOUR
AU - Pongsarun Satjaritanun
AU - Maeve O'Brien
AU - Devashish Kulkarni
AU - Sirivatch Shimpalee
AU - Cristopher Capuano
AU - Katherine E Ayers
AU - Nemanja Danilovic
AU - Dilworth Y Parkinson
AU - Iryna V Zenyuk
AB - <p>Understanding the relationships between porous transport layer (PTL) morphology and oxygen removal is essential to improve the polymer electrolyte water electrolyzer (PEWE) performance. Operando X-ray computed tomography and machine learning were performed on a model electrolyzer at different water flow rates and current densities to determine how these operating conditions alter oxygen transport in the PTLs. We report a direct observation of oxygen taking preferential pathways through the PTL, regardless of the water flow rate or current density (1-4 A/cm2). Oxygen distribution in the PTL had a periodic behavior with period of 400 μm. A computational fluid dynamics model was used to predict oxygen distribution in the PTL showing periodic oxygen front. Observed oxygen distribution is due to low in-plane PTL tortuosity and high porosity enabling merging of oxygen bubbles in the middle of the PTL and also due to aerophobicity of the layer.</p>
BT - iScience
DA - 11/2020
DO - 10.1016/j.isci.2020.101783
IS - 12
LA - eng
N2 - <p>Understanding the relationships between porous transport layer (PTL) morphology and oxygen removal is essential to improve the polymer electrolyte water electrolyzer (PEWE) performance. Operando X-ray computed tomography and machine learning were performed on a model electrolyzer at different water flow rates and current densities to determine how these operating conditions alter oxygen transport in the PTLs. We report a direct observation of oxygen taking preferential pathways through the PTL, regardless of the water flow rate or current density (1-4 A/cm2). Oxygen distribution in the PTL had a periodic behavior with period of 400 μm. A computational fluid dynamics model was used to predict oxygen distribution in the PTL showing periodic oxygen front. Observed oxygen distribution is due to low in-plane PTL tortuosity and high porosity enabling merging of oxygen bubbles in the middle of the PTL and also due to aerophobicity of the layer.</p>
PY - 2020
EP - 101783
ST - iScience
T2 - iScience
TI - Observation of Preferential Pathways for Oxygen Removal through Porous Transport Layers of Polymer Electrolyte Water Electrolyzers
VL - 23
SN - 25890042
ER -