Presentation

It is an integral research covering fundamental and applied aspects of the PEMFC technology, including the preparation of new membrane-electrode assemblies (MEAs) with tailored porous films superhydrophobic structures, the application of advanced materials coatings (rGO) for metal corrosion protection, the assembly and testing of MEAs in newly designed PEMFCs, the fabrication of stacks with combination of serial and parallel connectivities in modules, and their integration and use in portable and low power applications.

The MEAs will be prepared with tailored porous structures by applying the electrospray deposition technique and testing alternative catalyst materials. Relevant properties for fuel cell operation in electrodes and MEAs will be analyzed: morphology and structure (SEM and TEM microscopies), composition (XPS, EDX), hydrophobicity (tensiometry), and performance (standardized PEMFC test protocols). The project intends to demonstrate the benefits of new MEAs and components directly on power generation and in the behavior in the application. Air breathing fuel cells according to a recently patented design, will be assembled with high performance MEAs to maximize power density in terms of mass and volume in portable stacks. The power unit with the newly designed stacks will be integrated in a low power application (<500W) fed with hydrogen, with an energy management system based on a custom design and patentable smart electronics. Life cycle analysis for the hydrogen fuel cell system will be carried out, to make a product of industrial interest.