TY - JOUR
AU - Catherine M Weiss
AU - Shiyi Wang
AU - Brian P Setzler
AU - Yushan Yan
AU - Adam Z Weber
AB - <title>ABSTRACT</title>
                  <p>
                    The water balance in hydroxide‐exchange‐membrane fuel cells (HEMFCs) is a key challenge for improved performance and durability, intimately linked with the various interfaces and coupled phenomena. For every 4 electrons produced, 4 water molecules are generated in the anode and 2 consumed in the cathode, while electroosmosis transports water across the HEM from the cathode to the anode. Consequently, a concentration gradient drives water back, from anode to cathode. Ineffective water management could lead to cathode dry‐out, limiting reaction rate and causing ionomer degradation, or to anode flooding. To address these concerns, it is critical to measure the water transport
                    <italic>operando</italic>
                    . Herein, a home‐built water‐flux station is used to measure total water flux during cell operation with different inlet relative humidities and back pressures. Increasing the HEM thickness fourfold decreases the water flux at high current density, and utilizing microporous layers on both the anode and cathode decreases the water flux from the anode to the cathode. However, the most significant variable in changing the water flux was found by increasing the anode back pressure. Furthermore, humidity cycling significantly changed electrochemical performance without affecting the overall water fluxes. These findings can be translated to other devices utilizing an HEM.
                  </p>
BT - Advanced Materials Interfaces
DA - 26/03/2026
DO - 10.1002/admi.202600001
N2 - <title>ABSTRACT</title>
                  <p>
                    The water balance in hydroxide‐exchange‐membrane fuel cells (HEMFCs) is a key challenge for improved performance and durability, intimately linked with the various interfaces and coupled phenomena. For every 4 electrons produced, 4 water molecules are generated in the anode and 2 consumed in the cathode, while electroosmosis transports water across the HEM from the cathode to the anode. Consequently, a concentration gradient drives water back, from anode to cathode. Ineffective water management could lead to cathode dry‐out, limiting reaction rate and causing ionomer degradation, or to anode flooding. To address these concerns, it is critical to measure the water transport
                    <italic>operando</italic>
                    . Herein, a home‐built water‐flux station is used to measure total water flux during cell operation with different inlet relative humidities and back pressures. Increasing the HEM thickness fourfold decreases the water flux at high current density, and utilizing microporous layers on both the anode and cathode decreases the water flux from the anode to the cathode. However, the most significant variable in changing the water flux was found by increasing the anode back pressure. Furthermore, humidity cycling significantly changed electrochemical performance without affecting the overall water fluxes. These findings can be translated to other devices utilizing an HEM.
                  </p>
PB - Wiley
PY - 2026
T2 - Advanced Materials Interfaces
TI - Understanding Operando Water Management in Hydroxide‐Exchange‐Membrane Fuel Cells
UR - https://doi.org/10.1002/admi.202600001
SN - 2196-7350, 2196-7350
ER -