Enhancing Oxygen Transport in Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell Through Nanoconfined Triple Phase Interface Engineering
Abstract
Abstract In proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs), ionomer aggregation on Pt/C catalysts leads to increased oxygen transport resistance of conventional catalyst layers. This behavior significantly influences oxygen transport in the microenvironment at the triple‐phase interface of Pt/C catalysts. To address this challenge, triazine‐based covalent organic frameworks (COFs) were incorporated into the cathode catalyst layer, so that their well‐defined pore structure and proton eligible triazine sites interact with terminal sulfonate groups of the Nafion ionomer. This interaction regulates the triple‐phase microenvironment, enhances Pt utilization, and establishes directed oxygen‐enriched transport channels. Under low‐platinum loading conditions (−0.05 mg Pt cm −2 ) in a H 2 ─O 2 PEMFC, the COF‐modified system achieved a peak power density of 1.55 W cm −2 , 1.3 times of conventional PEMFCs, with a 38% reduction in local oxygen transport resistance. This work presents a new design principle for high‐performance low‐platinum PEMFCs, as a new approach to further advance their commercialization.
Article Details
Authors (7)
Juejin Teng
State Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil Processing, College of Chemical Engineering China University of Petroleum (East China) Qingdao 266580 P.R. China
Min Wang
Quanbin Dai
School of Chemical Engineering University of New South Wales Sydney New South Wales 2052 Australia
Yilin Wang
Enyang Sun
State Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil Processing, College of Chemical Engineering China University of Petroleum (East China) Qingdao 266580 P.R. China
Mingbo Wu
College of New Energy, State Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil Processing
Zhongtao Li
State Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil Processing, College of Chemical Engineering