Catalyst Contamination in PEM Fuel Cells

The effects of impurities on fuel cells, often referred to as fuel cell contamination, is one of the most important issues in fuel cell operation and applications. Contamination is closely associated with proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) durability and stability, both of which are important factors in the development and commercialization of PEMFC technology. Studies have identified that the membrane electrode assembly (MEA), the heart of the PEMFC, is the fuel cell component most affected by contamination. Impurities in the air and fuel streams damage the MEA by affecting both the anode and cathode catalyst layers (CLs), the gas diffusion layers (GDLs), as well as the proton exchange membrane (PEM), causing MEA performance degradation or even fuel cell failure. In general, PEMFC contamination effects can be categorized into three major types: (1) kinetic losses caused by the poisoning of both anode and cathode catalyst sites or a decrease in the catalyst activity; (2) ohmic losses due to an increase in the resistance of membrane and ionomer, caused by alteration of the proton transportation path; and (3) mass transfer losses due to changes in structure and in the ratio between the hydrophobicity and hydrophilicity of CLs, GDLs, and the PEM. Among those effects, the most significant is the kinetic effect of the anode and cathode electrocatalysts. This chapter presents PEMFC contamination with a focus on the anode and cathode catalyst layers. Catalyst contamination mechanisms, experimental results, modeling, as well as mitigation strategies are also covered in detail. For further information, such as contamination effects on other parts of PEMFCs, the reader is referred to a recent review paper [1].