The accurate evaluation of the activation overpotential of a membrane electrode assembly (MEA) is essential for fuel cell design. We have developed a new method of precisely determining the activity of cathode catalyst layer in MEA by maintaining the effect of platinum oxides at a constant level and have subsequently studied activity changes resulting from various operational histories. Cyclic voltammetry was used to quantitatively correlate activity changes in the cathode catalyst layer with various operational conditions and demonstrated that activity decreased after low humidity operation and recovered after high humidity operation in a N-2 atmosphere at potentials below 0.2 V. The activity changes were found to be very slow and a span of more than 8 hours was required for the activity to reach the steady state. This phenomenon is presumably caused by the adsorption/desorption of ionomer sulfonate groups on the Pt surface, based on observations that the activity changes are consistent with sulfonate group adsorption and dependent on the ionomer structure. Oxygen transport resistance in the catalyst layer also varied in conjunction with the activity changes. Two possible Pt/ionomer interface models are proposed in an attempt to explain the above observations. (C) 2013 The Electrochemical Society. All rights reserved.