Development of a 3-in-1 device to simultaneously measure properties of gas diffusion layer for the quality control of proton exchange membrane fuel cell components

Gas diffusion layer (GDL) is a key component of the membrane electrode assembly (MEA) for a proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell. GDL attributes strongly correlate with the cell performance. To ensure the quality of GDLs, it is of great importance to characterize GDL properties with respect to the standardization of component specifications. This work aims at the quality control (QC) of GDLs by developing a three-in-one device to simultaneously measure GDL properties, including thickness under compression (TUC), resistivity under compression (RUC, through-plane), and in-plane permeability (IPP) under compression. The key to this three-in-one device design is to add IPP to a TUC/RUC apparatus, which is quite challenging. This is realized by measuring the flow rate under different compressions via donut-shaped GDL samples. Upon the establishment of design requirements, the TUC/RUC/IPP tester is fabricated followed by calibration, validation, and bench-marking testing. The developed three-in-one device is proven to be a useful tool for the QC of GDLs, contributing to improved fuel cell reliability and thus its cost reduction.