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Impact of cyclic mechanical compression on the electrical contact resistance between the gas diffusion layer and the bipolar plate of a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell

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  • Bouziane, Khadidja
  • Khetabi, El Mahdi
  • Lachat, Rémy
  • Zamel, Nada
  • Meyer, Yann
  • Candusso, Denis

Abstract

The electrical contact resistance between the Gas Diffusion Layer (GDL) and the BiPolar Plate (BPP) used in Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel cells (PEMFCs) is responsible for a substantial amount of Ohmic losses in the electrical power generator. This contact resistance was measured for a variety of carbon paper GDLs under cyclic mechanical compression between 0 and 8 MPa according to the Transmission Line Method (TLM). Contact resistance and strain hysteresis were noticed as a result of cyclic compression. The effect of GDL structure and composition on the electrical contact resistance and its cyclic behaviour has been evaluated. The contact resistance was found to decrease non-linearly with compression; more than 75% of reduction was attained at 2.5 MPa. The electrical contact resistance’s difference between the different cycles of compression decreased with compression loads. Graphitised straight fibre Toray GDLs demonstrated the smallest contact resistance followed by the MicroPorous Layer (MPL) and the felt fibre substrate. The SGL straight fibre substrates exhibited the highest contact resistance. The felt fibre structure exhibited the smallest difference rates between the cycles of compression.

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  • Bouziane, Khadidja & Khetabi, El Mahdi & Lachat, Rémy & Zamel, Nada & Meyer, Yann & Candusso, Denis, 2020. "Impact of cyclic mechanical compression on the electrical contact resistance between the gas diffusion layer and the bipolar plate of a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 153(C), pages 349-361.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:renene:v:153:y:2020:i:c:p:349-361
    DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2020.02.033
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    2. Pan, Mingzhang & Pan, Chengjie & Li, Chao & Zhao, Jian, 2021. "A review of membranes in proton exchange membrane fuel cells: Transport phenomena, performance and durability," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 141(C).
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    4. Abdul Ghani Olabi & Tabbi Wilberforce & Abdulrahman Alanazi & Parag Vichare & Enas Taha Sayed & Hussein M. Maghrabie & Khaled Elsaid & Mohammad Ali Abdelkareem, 2022. "Novel Trends in Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(14), pages 1-35, July.
    5. Chen, Chaogang & Gao, Yuan, 2024. "Using multi-threshold non-local means joint distribution method to analysis the spatial distribution patterns of binder and fibers in gas diffusion layers of fuel cells," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 358(C).
    6. Isaac C. Okereke & Mohammed S. Ismail & Derek B. Ingham & Kevin Hughes & Lin Ma & Mohamed Pourkashanian, 2023. "Single- and Double-Sided Coated Gas Diffusion Layers Used in Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells: A Numerical Study," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(11), pages 1-16, May.
    7. Hou, Junbo & Yang, Min & Zhang, Junliang, 2020. "Active and passive fuel recirculation for solid oxide and proton exchange membrane fuel cells," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 155(C), pages 1355-1371.
    8. Zhiming Zhang & Zhihao Chen & Kunpeng Li & Xinfeng Zhang & Caizhi Zhang & Tong Zhang, 2023. "A Multi-Field Coupled PEMFC Model with Force-Temperature-Humidity and Experimental Validation for High Electrochemical Performance Design," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(16), pages 1-17, August.
    9. Qiu, Diankai & Peng, Linfa & Yi, Peiyun & Lehnert, Werner & Lai, Xinmin, 2021. "Review on proton exchange membrane fuel cell stack assembly: Quality evaluation, assembly method, contact behavior and process design," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 152(C).
    10. Yanqin Chen & Yuchao Ke & Yingsong Xia & Chongdu Cho, 2021. "Investigation on Mechanical Properties of a Carbon Paper Gas Diffusion Layer through a 3-D Nonlinear and Orthotropic Constitutive Model," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-14, October.
    11. Ye, Lingfeng & Qiu, Diankai & Peng, Linfa & Lai, Xinmin, 2022. "Microstructures and electrical conductivity properties of compressed gas diffusion layers using X-ray tomography," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 326(C).
    12. Akbar, Ali & Um, Sukkee, 2022. "Influence of external clamping pressure on nanoscopic mechanical deformation and catalyst utilization of quaternion PtC catalyst layers for PEMFCs," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 194(C), pages 195-210.

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