Effect of membrane electrode assembly fabrication method on the single cell performances of polybenzimidazole-based high temperature polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells

JuYeon Lee; Jeawoo Jung; Jun Young Han; Hyoung-Juhn Kim; Hye-Jin Lee; Jong Hyun Jang; Eun Ae Cho; Dirk Henkensmeier; Jin Young Kim; Sung Jong Yoo; Seong-Ahn Hong; Sang Yong Nam

Macromolecular Research, Vol.22, No.11, 1214-1220, November, 2014

DOI10.1007/s13233-014-2167-x Export Citation

Effect of membrane electrode assembly fabrication method on the single cell performances of polybenzimidazole-based high temperature polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells

JuYeon Lee^{1, 2}, Jeawoo Jung^{1, 3}, Jun Young Han^{1, 4}, Hyoung-Juhn Kim^{1, 2, †}, Hye-Jin Lee^{1, 4}, Jong Hyun Jang^{1, 2, †}, Eun Ae Cho^{1, 4}, Dirk Henkensmeier^{1, 4}, Jin Young Kim^{1, 4}, Sung Jong Yoo^{1, 4}, Seong-Ahn Hong^{1, 5}, and Sang Yong Nam⁶

¹Fuel Cell Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul, 136-791, Korea
²Clean Energy and Chemical Engineering, University of Science and Technology, Daejeon, 305-333, Korea
³Energy and Environmental Policy and Technology, Green School, Korea University, Seoul, 136-701, Korea
⁴, Korea
⁵Department of Advanced Materials Chemistry, Korea University, Sejong, 339-700, Korea
⁶Department of Materials Engineering and Convergence Technology, Engineering Research Institute, Gyeongsang National University, Gyeongnam, 660-701, Korea

E-mail:,

Membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) for a high temperature polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (HTPEMFC) were fabricated using acid-doped polybenzimidazole (PBI) as the electrolyte membrane and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) as the electrode binder. PTFE concentrations of 20, 30, and 45 wt% in the electrode were evaluated to determine the optimal binder content. Additionally, the influence of applying a pressing process during MEA fabrication on the electrode performance was examined. When MEA was prepared without the pressing process, the electrode containing 20 wt% PTFE exhibited the best cell performance (338 mA cm-2 at 0.6 V). However, when MEA was prepared with the pressing process, the electrode containing 45 wt% PTFE exhibited the best cell performance (281 mA cm-2 at 0.6 V). This result is because of the inclusion of the pressing process, as gas permeability is hindered by the transfer of excess phosphoric acid from the electrolyte membrane to the electrodes.

Keywords:high temperature polymer electrolyte;membrane fuel cell;polybenzimidazole;polytetrafluoroethylene binder

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[2] Frey T, Linardi M, Electrochim. Acta, 50(1), 99 (2004)

[3] Bose S, Kuilaa T, Nguyenb TXH, Kim NH, Lau KT, Lee JH, Prog. Polym. Sci., 36, 813 (2011)

[4] Li Q, Jensen JO, Savinell RF, Bjerruma NJ, Prog. Polym. Sci., 34, 449 (2009)

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[8] Wainright JS, Wang JT, Weng D, Savinell RF, Litt M, Electrochem. Soc., 142, 121 (1995)

[9] Xiao L, Zhang H, Scanlon E, Ramanathan LS, Choe EW, Rogers D, Apple T, Benicewicz BC, Chem. Mater., 17, 5328 (2005)

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[11] Mustarelli P, Quartarone E, Grandi S, Angioni S, Magistris A, Solid State Ion., 225, 228 (2012)

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