Material design to enable high mid-temperature performance of a fuel cell with ultrathin electrodes

摘要

A fuel cell including at least one of a hydrophilic interlayer and a flow field treated to impart hydrophilic properties is disclosed, wherein the hydrophilic interlayer and the treated flow field militate against water accumulation in ultrathin electrodes of the fuel cell, particularly for cool-start operating conditions (i.e. about 0° C. to about 60° C.).

主权项

1. A fuel cell stack comprising:
an end plate having a flow field formed on a first surface thereof and a substantially planar second surface, the flow field of the end plate includes a hydrophilic surface; a bipolar plate, the bipolar plate having a flow field formed on a first surface and a second surface thereof, wherein at least one of the flow fields of the bipolar plate includes a hydrophilic surface, wherein the hydrophilic surface of the at least one of the flow fields of the bipolar plate is one of a coating of a metal oxide, an adsorbed reagent, a machined surface, and a plurality of pores formed therein; a membrane electrode assembly disposed intermediate the end plate and the bipolar plate, the membrane electrode assembly including a proton exchange membrane disposed between an anode and a cathode, the anode and the cathode each including a porous conductive material with catalytic particles distributed therein, wherein each of the anode and the cathode is less than 2 μm thick; a plurality of diffusion media, each of the diffusion media having a porous layer and a microporous layer, the porous layer of a first one of the diffusion media disposed adjacent the hydrophilic surface of the flow field of the end plate and the porous layer of a second one of the diffusion media disposed adjacent the hydrophilic surface of the at least one of the flow fields of the bipolar plate; and at least two interlayers, each of the interlayers having a hydrophilic surface about 1 μm thick, wherein the hydrophilic surface of each of the interlayers is a carbon and ionomer material, a first one of the interlayers disposed between the microporous layer of the first one of the diffusion media and the membrane electrode assembly and a second one of the interlayers disposed between the microporous layer of the second one of the diffusion media and the membrane electrode assembly, the first one of the interlayers contacting the cathode, the second one of the interlayers contacting the anode.