Innovative Bilayer Microporous Layer for PEM Fuel Cells

In polymer electrode membrane fuel cells, gas diffusion media plays a critical role in reactant gas diffusion and water management- Often, a gas diffusion media that has excellent water removal properties under high humidity may not perform well under dry conditions, or vice versa- Therefore, it is essential to develop a robust gas diffusion media design which meets the performance requirements across the entire span of possible operation conditions- Giner proposes to create a new bilayer microporous layer-based design with combined pore size gradient and hydrophilic/hydrophobic gradient to control the water transport more effectively at both high and low humidity conditions- The introduction of a hydrophilic sub layer on top of a hydrophobic microporous layer will strengthen the driving force of water removal with minimized risk of dehydration in the catalyst layer and membrane-