Volume 49 Number 4 (2018.12)
Special Feature
Popularizing Fuel Cell Vehicles: Designing and Controlling Electrochemical Reactions in the MEA
Part I. Special Feature
Overview
Research Reports
-
2. Strategies for Designing Ideal Pt/Ionomer Interfaces in Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells
(2136kB)pages 1-11
Kensaku Kodama, Ryosuke Jinnouchi, Akihiro Shinohara and Yu Morimoto
Electrochemical measurements using Pt single-crystals modified with foreign materials were conducted to design the interface between Pt-catalyst surface and ionomer in polymer electrolyte fuel cells. For catalysts, protecting vulnerable low-coordinated Pt atoms with stable substances was found promising to improve the durability and activity. For ionomers, changing anion structures and the flexibility of side-chain was found effective to reduce ionomer-induced catalyst poisonings.
-
3. Modeling of Oxygen Transport Resistance in Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells
(1488kB)pages 13-19
Takahisa Suzuki, Kenji Kudo and Yu Morimoto
The presence of an oxygen transport barrier at the catalyst-ionomer interface in polymer electrolyte fuel cells was verified experimentally using microelectrodes. The performance of a membrane electrode assembly suggests that the barrier is much thinner than the ionomer film that covers the catalyst particles.
-
pages 21-31
Kyoko Tsusaka, Naoki Kitano, Takashi Yamamoto, Naoki Hasegawa, Akihiko Koiwai and Masaya Kawasumi
An imide network polymer (INP), in which super acid groups are arranged in high density by crosslinking with small molecules, has been proposed as a novel electrolyte that simultaneously allows high proton conductivity and water insolubility. This INP exhibited proton conductivity approximately 15 times higher than that of Nafion at 20% RH.
-
pages 33-46
Kazuma Shinozaki, Yu Morimoto, Jason W. Zack, Svitlana Pylypenko, Ryan M. Richards, Bryan S. Pivovar and Shyam S. Kocha
Details of the thin-film rotating disk electrode (RDE) technique were studied to propose a standard to obtain accurate and reproducible oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activities for proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) catalyst. The impact of Pt particle size as well as an ionomer on the ORR activity was studied using the proposed methods.
Part II.
Special Review
-
pages 47-60
Hirofumi Shinjoh
The development of a three-way catalyst for automobile exhaust purification in the late '70s has brought ongoing challenges due to strict regulation strengthening and worldwide deployment of regulations. This review introduces representative catalysts to address these challenges and present a catalyst technology based on the effective utilization of unique catalyst materials.