Design of Electrodes Based on a Carbon Nanofiber Nonwoven Material for the Membrane Electrode Assembly of a Polybenzimidazole-Membrane Fuel Cell

摘要

The creation of electrodes for hydrogen—air fuel cells with a polymer electrolyte membrane is a complex challenge, both fundamental, and scientific and technical. Increase in the fuel cell efficiency directly depends on the quality of the electrodes. Whereas the heart of such a fuel cell is usually believed to be a proton-conducting membrane, the drive of the fuel cell should be considered to be carbon gas-diffusion electrodes (GDEs) containing nanosized platinum particles as an electrocatalyst. Approaches to designing GDEs are quite versatile, but generally reduce to the application of a catalytic ink (aqueous dispersions of perfluoropolymers and electrocatalysts (Pt/C)) to a carbon paper or tissue with a perfluorinated hydrophobic microporous layer [1,2].