Performance of catalyst layers of polymer electrolyte fuel cells: exact solutions

Performance of a catalyst layer of polymer electrolyte fuel cell under the assumptions of ideal transport of reactants and Tafel kinetics of electrochemical reaction is considered. Explicit expressions for the profiles of basic parameters (proton current density, overpotential and reaction rate) across the catalyst layer are obtained and a new conservation law is found. Exact expression for voltage-current curve of the catalyst layer is derived and simplified in the limiting cases of small and large current densities. The physics of transition from small to large currents is discussed. (C) 2002 Published by Elsevier Science B.V.