Abstract
A gas diffusion layer (GDL) in a proton exchange membrane fuel cell may consist of several, materials of different porosities, with each material serving a specific set of functions. For example, samples analyzed in this work consisted of a macro porous carbon paper substrate treated with a, hydrophobic wet proofing material in differing amounts, which was then coupled to a micro porous, layer. The porosities of four such GDLs were determined by using 2D scanning electron microscope (SEM) images to mathematically model the volumes filled by each solid in the 3D structures. Results, were then compared with mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP) measurements to verify the accuracy, of the method. It was found that the use of SEM not only allowed for detailed porosity analysis of, separate porous materials within the GDL, but also porosity for the entire GDL could be calculated for, the seemingly complex structures with reasonable accuracy. With some basic geometric assumptions, and use of the superposition principle, the calculated results were accurate to less than a 2% absolute, difference of the porosity measured by MIP for each of the four samples analyzed.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1-11 |
| Number of pages | 11 |
| Journal | Journal of Power Sources |
| Volume | 197 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Jan 1 2012 |
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Keywords
- Gas diffusion layer
- Image analysis
- Micro porous layer
- PEM fuel cell
- Porosity
- SEM
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Electrical and Electronic Engineering
- Energy Engineering and Power Technology
- Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment
- Physical and Theoretical Chemistry
Cite this
Assessing porosity of proton exchange membrane fuel cell gas diffusion layers by scanning electron microscope image analysis. / Farmer, Johnathon; Duong, Binh; Seraphin, Supapan; Shimpalee, Sirivatch; Martínez-Rodríguez, Michael J.; Van Zee, John W.
In: Journal of Power Sources, Vol. 197, 01.01.2012, p. 1-11.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Assessing porosity of proton exchange membrane fuel cell gas diffusion layers by scanning electron microscope image analysis
AU - Farmer, Johnathon
AU - Duong, Binh
AU - Seraphin, Supapan
AU - Shimpalee, Sirivatch
AU - Martínez-Rodríguez, Michael J.
AU - Van Zee, John W.
PY - 2012/1/1
Y1 - 2012/1/1
N2 - A gas diffusion layer (GDL) in a proton exchange membrane fuel cell may consist of several, materials of different porosities, with each material serving a specific set of functions. For example, samples analyzed in this work consisted of a macro porous carbon paper substrate treated with a, hydrophobic wet proofing material in differing amounts, which was then coupled to a micro porous, layer. The porosities of four such GDLs were determined by using 2D scanning electron microscope (SEM) images to mathematically model the volumes filled by each solid in the 3D structures. Results, were then compared with mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP) measurements to verify the accuracy, of the method. It was found that the use of SEM not only allowed for detailed porosity analysis of, separate porous materials within the GDL, but also porosity for the entire GDL could be calculated for, the seemingly complex structures with reasonable accuracy. With some basic geometric assumptions, and use of the superposition principle, the calculated results were accurate to less than a 2% absolute, difference of the porosity measured by MIP for each of the four samples analyzed.
AB - A gas diffusion layer (GDL) in a proton exchange membrane fuel cell may consist of several, materials of different porosities, with each material serving a specific set of functions. For example, samples analyzed in this work consisted of a macro porous carbon paper substrate treated with a, hydrophobic wet proofing material in differing amounts, which was then coupled to a micro porous, layer. The porosities of four such GDLs were determined by using 2D scanning electron microscope (SEM) images to mathematically model the volumes filled by each solid in the 3D structures. Results, were then compared with mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP) measurements to verify the accuracy, of the method. It was found that the use of SEM not only allowed for detailed porosity analysis of, separate porous materials within the GDL, but also porosity for the entire GDL could be calculated for, the seemingly complex structures with reasonable accuracy. With some basic geometric assumptions, and use of the superposition principle, the calculated results were accurate to less than a 2% absolute, difference of the porosity measured by MIP for each of the four samples analyzed.
KW - Gas diffusion layer
KW - Image analysis
KW - Micro porous layer
KW - PEM fuel cell
KW - Porosity
KW - SEM
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UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=80054824821&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.jpowsour.2011.08.064
DO - 10.1016/j.jpowsour.2011.08.064
M3 - Article
VL - 197
SP - 1
EP - 11
JO - Journal of Power Sources
JF - Journal of Power Sources
SN - 0378-7753
ER -