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. 2020 Feb 20;25(4):955.
doi: 10.3390/molecules25040955.

Development of a Current Collector with a Graphene Thin Film for a Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell Module

Yean-Der Kuan  1 , Ting-Ru Ke  1 , Jyun-Long Lyu  1 , Min-Feng Sung  2 , Jing-Shan Do  3
Affiliations

Development of a Current Collector with a Graphene Thin Film for a Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell Module

Yean-Der Kuan et al. Molecules. .

Abstract

This paper constructs planar-type graphene thin film current collectors for proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). The present planar-type current collector adopts FR-4 as the substrate and coats a copper thin film using thermal evaporation for the electric-conduction layer. A graphene thin film is then coated onto the current collector to prevent corrosion due to electrochemical reactions. Three different coating techniques are conducted and compared: Spin coating, RF magnetron sputtering, and screen printing. The corrosion rates and surface resistances are tested and compared for the different coating techniques. Single cell PEMFCs with the developed current collectors are assembled and tested. A PEMFC module with two cells is also designed and constructed. The cell performances are measured to investigate the device feasibility.

Keywords: current collector; graphene thin film; module; proton exchange membrane fuel cell.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Geometric schematic drawing of the current collectors.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Fabrication process for the electric-conduction layer.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Fabrication process for a graphene thin film using graphene ink.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Fabrication process for a graphene thin film using graphene suspension.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Fabrication process for a graphene thin film using graphene dispersion.
Figure 6
Figure 6
The illustration of five monitoring points for the surface resistance.
Figure 7
Figure 7
The Tafel curves of the current collectors with different graphene films.
Figure 8
Figure 8
The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images of the cross sections of the current collectors with different graphene thin films. (a) Graphene ink; (b) Graphene suspension; (c) Graphene dispersion.
Figure 9
Figure 9
The exploded view of the Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC) with forced convection air-breathing cathode. Membrane electrolyte assembly (MEA).
Figure 10
Figure 10
The anode side and cathode side of the PEMFC module with a forced convection air-breathing cathode.
Figure 11
Figure 11
The exploded view of the PEMFC module with a self-air-breathing cathode.
Figure 12
Figure 12
The anode side and cathode side of PEMFC module with a self-air breathing cathode.
Figure 13
Figure 13
PEMFC module performance comparison with a forced air-breathing cathode and the corrosion-resistance layer using a graphene ink coating.
Figure 14
Figure 14
PEMFC module performance comparison with a forced air-breathing cathode and the corrosion-resistance layer using a graphene-suspension coating.
Figure 15
Figure 15
PEMFC module performance comparison with a forced air-breathing cathode and the corrosion-resistance layer using a graphene-dispersion coating.
Figure 16
Figure 16
PEMFC module performance comparison with a self-air-breathing cathode and different types of the corrosion-resistance layers (anode fuel rate: 100 sccm).
Figure 17
Figure 17
PEMFC module stability tests with a self-air-breathing cathode and different types of corrosion-resistance layers under 1 V load (anode fuel rate: 100 sccm).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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