NPL has designed a standard PEMWE single cell with an active area of 4 cm2, with the novel additions of ports to accommodate Luggin capillaries on the anode and cathode simultaneously. This allows in situ reference electrodes on both sides of the cell to monitor different potentials during operation. An example includes the deconvolution of the anode and cathode potentials from the overall cell voltage. An innovative spring compression system allows the accommodation of PTLs of any thickness. This cell is available for purchase.
Also available for purchase is the NPL benchmark PEMWE CCM with an anode loading of 1.0 mgIr cm-2, a cathode loading of 0.4 mgPt cm-2 and an 80 μm reinforced PFSA + additives and recombination catalyst membrane.
Figure 1 demonstrates a beginning of life polarisation curve after a 19 hour conditioning procedure of the benchmark CCM inside the NPL standard PEMWE cell. In situ reference electrodes were employed on both the anode and cathode during operation so that the individual potential contributions can be measured.
Polarisation curve obtained at 80 °C with 100 mL min-1 of water flow on the anode and dry cathode in the NPL standard PEMWE cell. NPL’s benchmark CCM was used along with an anode PTL of Pt-coated Ti felt (2GDL10 0.35, Bekaert) and a cathode PTL of carbon paper (AvCarb MGL370, Fuel Cell Store).
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