MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND
TRAINING
VIETNAM ACADEMY OF SCIENCE
AND TECHNOLOGY
GRADUATE UNIVERSITY SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
-----------------------------
GIANG HONG THAI
FABRICATION AND EVALUATION OF INFLUENCE
OF TECHNOLOGICAL PARAMETERS ON PERFORMANCE
OF PROTON EXCHANGE MEMBRANE FUEL CELL
Major: Metal Science
Code: 9.44.01.29
SUMMARY OF MATERIAL SCIENCE DOCTORAL THESIS
Hanoi – 2020
The work was completed at: Graduate University Science and Technology – Vietnam
Academy of Science and Technology
Advisors: 1. Dr. Pham Thi San
2. Prof. Dr. Vu Dinh Lam
Reviewer 1: Dr. Nguyen Van Nghia
Reviewer 2: Prof. Dr. Nguyen Huy Dan
Reviewer 3: Dr. Dang Quoc Khanh
The thesis will be protected before the doctoral dissertation thesis, meeting at the
Academy of Science and Technology - Vietnam Academy of Science and
Technology at ... hour...' date ... month ... 2020
The thesis can be found at:
- Library of the Academy of Science and Technology
- National Library of Vietnam
1
PREFACE
1. Urgency of thesis
Economic development lead to increases of demand for energy in the world.
Currently, energies derived from fossil energy such as oil, natural gas, coal ..., are
gradually depleting and causing environmental pollution as well as global warming.
The challenges of energy demand and sustainable development have prompted
scientists around the world to focus their research on finding new and renewable
sources of energy. Among all selectable renewable energy sources such as: solar,
wind, hydro, nuclear, geothermal, tidal, etc., the promising renewable energy source
is hydrogen fuel which is considered as a bright candidate for the future.
Proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC) using hydrogen fuel have been
the most interested in scientists around the world for three decades due to the
advantages: light weight, compact size, high power, high stability, low emission, no
noise, no pollution to the environment… Fuel cells with flexible output power should
be widely applied to electronic devices, telephones, computers, vehicles, space
stations, power stations...
Performance and applicability of fuel cells depend very strongly on the process
of manufacturing fuel cells. Therefore, research and development of fuel cell
technology are also strongly invested by scientists and companies around the world.
Companies and research facilities are extremely secretive about technology
copyrights which keeps its own technical know-how and does not spread outside.
Therefore, in order to develop fuel cell in Vietnam, we need to invest in researching
and developing our own technology and core technologies in manufacturing fuel cells
as an initial step as a prerequisite for the next development of fuel cell application.
In Vietnam, currently the study of fuel cells is almost neglected and there is
very little fundamental research on this issue. The research on fuel cells of our
country is at innitial stage, mainly researching catalytic material in the laboratory and
almost has not research in the technology of manufacturing fuel cell (stack).
From the above reasons, the group of instructors and graduate students choose
the research topic:“Fabrication and investigation of influence of technological
parameters on performance of proton exchange membrane fuel cell”.
2. Scope of thesis
2
- Study on fabrication proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC).
- Characteristics and selection of the optimal catalyst material and composition for
the catalyst layer in membrane electrodes assembly (MEA) and to evaluate influence
of manufacturing technological parameters on MEA properties and from that basis
master core technology to develop MEA manufacturing process.
- Building a model and explaining the mechanism of the process of converting
energy into electricity in MEA.
- Design, manufacture and operate a complete stack of PEMFC fuel cells with a
power of ~ 100 W.
3. Main contents of thesis
- Research, evaluate and select catalyst ink components of electrode catalyst
formation: Pt/C catalyst materials, nafion content (proton conductor)...
- Research, manufacture and evaluate MEA by the following techniques: CCS, DTM
and hot pressing process to fabricate MEA and study on influence of technological
parameters on MEA quality and optimum of MEA manufacturing process with the
best quality.
- Research, design, manufacture a complete PEMFC stack with a power of ~ 100 W
and investigate the influence of technological parameters on the properties of the
stack and give optimal operating conditions.
CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION
1.1. Introduction of fuel cells
A fuel cell is a device that converts chemical potential energy into electrical
energy. A Proton Exchange Membrane cell uses hydrogen gas (H2) and oxygen gas
(O2) as fuel.
1.2. Introduction of proton exchange membrane fuel cell
1.2.1. Operational principles of PEMFC
The equations for the chemical reactions at the electrodes of a PEMFC are as
follows:
Reaction on anode:
eHH 442 2
(1.1)
Reaction oncathode:
OHeHO 22 244
(1.2)
3
Total:
OHOH 222 22
+ Electricity + Heat (1.3)
1.2.2. Structure of PEMFC
The basic structure of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell is shown in Fig. 1.4
including the components:
Fig. 1.2 Principle of PEMFC
Fig. 1.4. Structure of PEMFC
Membrane electrodes assembly (MEA)
The most important part in a PEMFC is the membrane electrode assembly
(MEA). MEA is composed of two layers of electrode catalyst material, anode and
cathode, which are symmetrically placed through a nafion film that acts as an
electrolyte medium to transport protons from the anode to the cathode.
Catalytic layers in MEA
The catalyst layer has a thickness of 5-100 µm with a porosity of about 40-70%
and is dispersed by metallic Pt catalyst particles with size of 1-10 nm.
MEA fabrication hot pressing technique
Hot pressing technique is an important step to link the components of MEA.
The three main parameters of hot pressing process including temperature, pressing
pressure and pressing time need to be optimized.
CHAPTER 2. EXPERIMENTAL AND RESEARCH METHOD
2.1. Chemicals and materials
2.2. Experimental
2.2.1. Characteristics of Pt/C electrocatalyst materials
The four types of commercial catalyst materials are Pt/C 20%wt., 30% wt. of
Fuelearth; and Pt/C 20 %wt., 40%wt. of Jonshon Mathey was selected and evaluated.