PSI scientists directly show ice in fuel cells for the first time

摘要

Researchers from the Paul Scherrer Institute in Switzerland have succeeded in directly imaging the distribution of frozen and liquid water in a hydrogen PEM fuel cell for the first time. The method uses two beams with different neutron energies to distinguish extremely reliably between areas with liquid water and those with ice. It opens up the prospect of studying one of the main problems of using fuel cells to power vehicles in colder climates: ice can clog the pores in the electrodes and significantly affect performance.