A coupling approach between metallic bipolar plates corrosion and membrane chemical degradation in the proton exchange membrane fuel cells

The Nafion membrane's chemical degradation by the Fenton mechanism involves the presence of ferrous ions Fe2+ but the detrimental concentration is not well known. These ions could be generated either from the balance of plant or from the bipolar plates' corrosion. As an attempt to describe the link between the two mechanisms, the membrane's degradation and the bipolar plates' corrosion were investigated. Our work is based on experimental and modelling approaches. We start with a parametric corrosion study allowing the determination of the Fe2+ flux using a Look-Up Table. The second step is the modelling of the Fe2+ effect on the membrane degradation. The third is the modelling of ionic species transport between the bipolar plates and the membrane. The final coupled degradation model is implemented in a PEMFC performance simulator based on the Matlab/Simulink (R) platform. The model is used to simulate the degradation mechanism during NEDC (New European Driving Cycle). (C) 2021 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

The study investigates the chemical degradation of the Nafion membrane by the Fenton mechanism, exploring the influence of ferrous ions Fe2+ on the membrane's degradation and the transport of ionic species between bipolar plates and the membrane. The coupled degradation model is implemented in a PEMFC performance simulator for simulating the degradation process during NEDC.