Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Active layer of the cathode of a fuel cell with a solid polymer electrolyte: The effect of the Nafion concentration on the overall characteristics

  • Published:
Russian Journal of Electrochemistry Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A computer-aided simulation of the structure of the active layer of the cathode of a fuel cell with a solid polymer electrolyte (Nafion) is performed under the assumption about equidimensionalness of dimensions of grains of the substrate (with platinum crystallites in them) and grains (agglomerates of molecules) of Nafion. It is analyzed how the Nafion concentration affects principal parameters, which include the specific surface area, in the vicinity of which electrochemical process goes on; the effective ionic electroconductivity, and the effective diffusion coefficient of a gas. It is demonstrated how one can determine the Nafion concentration at which the overall current takes on a maximum value. Dependences of the optimum value of the overall current and the thickness of the active layer and the weight of platinum, which correspond to it, on the Nafion concentration are calculated. It is demonstrated that there in principle cannot exist one individual optimum concentration of Nafion, which is suitable for all techniques used for the preparation of the active layer. The mutual relationship between values of the effective diffusion coefficient of a gas and the effective ionic electroconductivity of Nafion determines the value of the optimum of the Nafion concentration.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Weber, A.Z. and Newman, J., Chem. Rev., 2004, vol. 104, p. 4679.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Wang, C.Y., Chem. Rev., 2004, vol. 104, p. 4727.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Chirkov, Yu.G., Elektrokhimiya, 1999, vol. 35, p. 1449.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Chirkov, Yu.G. and Rostokin, V.I., Elektrokhimiya, 2002, vol. 38, p. 1437.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Rostokin, V.I. and Chirkov, Yu.G., Elektrokhimiya, 2004, vol. 40, p. 197.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Uchida, M., Aoyama, Y., Eda, N., and Ohta, A., J. Electrochem. Soc., 1995, vol. 142, pp. 463, 4143.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Chirkov, Yu.G. and Rostokin, V.I., Elektrokhimiya, 2004, vol. 40, p. 1036.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Chirkov, Yu.G. and Rostokin, V.I., Elektrokhimiya, 2003, vol. 39, p. 694.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Chirkov, Yu.G. and Rostokin, V.I., Elektrokhimiya, 2005, vol. 41, p. 1109.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Costamagna, P. and Srinivasan, S., J. Power Sources, 2001, vol. 102, p. 253.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Chizmadzhev, Yu.A. and Chirkov, Yu.G., in Comprehensive Treatise of Electrochemistry, Yeager, E., Bockris, J.O’M., Conway, B.E., and Sarangapani, S., Eds., New York: Plenum, 1983, vol. 6, p. 356.

    Google Scholar 

  12. Chirkov, Yu.G. and Rostokin, V.I., Elektrokhimiya, 2005, vol. 41, p. 35.

    Google Scholar 

  13. Wang, J.-T. and Savinell, R.F., Electrochim. Acta, 1992, vol. 37, p. 2737.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Rho, Y.W., Srinivasan, S., and Kho, Y.T., J. Electrochem. Soc., 1994, vol. 141, p. 208.

    Google Scholar 

  15. Matsubayashi, T., Hamada, A., Taniguchi, S., Miyake, Y., and Saito, T., Abstracts of Papers, 1994 Fuel Cell Seminar, San Diego (CA), p. 581.

  16. Escribano, S. and Aldebert, P., Solid State Ionics, 1995, vol. 77, p. 318.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Bolwin, K., Gulzow, E., Bevers, D., and Schnurnberger, W., Solid State Ionics, 1995, vol. 77, p. 324.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Wilson, M.S., Valerio, J.A., and Gottesfeld, S., Electrochim. Acta, 1995, vol. 40, p. 355.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Paganin, V.A., Ticianelli, E.A., and Gonzalez, E.R., J. Appl. Electrochem., 1996, vol. 26, p. 297.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Ticianelli, E.A., Derouin, C.R., Redondo, A., and Srinivasan, S., J. Electrochem. Soc., 1988, vol. 135, p. 2209.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Antolini, E., Giorgi, L., Pozio, A., and Passalacqua, E., J. Power Sources, 1999, vol. 77, p. 36142.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Passalacqua, E., Lufrano, F., Squadrito, G., Patti, A., and Giorgi, L., Electrochim. Acta, 2001, vol. 46, p. 799.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Siroma, Z., Sasakura, T., Yasuda, K., Azuma, M., and Miyazaki, Y., J. Electroanal. Chem., 2003, vol. 546, p. 73.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Frumkin Institute of Electrochemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Leninskii pr. 31, Moscow, 119991, Russia

    Yu. G. Chirkov

  2. Moscow Institute of Engineering Physics, Kashirskoe sh. 31, Moscow, 117409, Russia

    V. I. Rostokin

Authors
  1. Yu. G. Chirkov
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. V. I. Rostokin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Yu. G. Chirkov.

Additional information

Original Russian Text © Yu.G. Chirkov, V.I. Rostokin, 2006, published in Elektrokhimiya, 2006, Vol. 42, No. 7, pp. 799–805.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Chirkov, Y.G., Rostokin, V.I. Active layer of the cathode of a fuel cell with a solid polymer electrolyte: The effect of the Nafion concentration on the overall characteristics. Russ J Electrochem 42, 715–721 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1134/S1023193506070044

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1134/S1023193506070044

Key words

Search

Navigation