A research conducted by Norihiro Fukaya and colleagues in collaboration with Kyushu University has been published in Journal of Power Sources.
Fuel cells are considered one of the promising technologies for achieving a carbon-neutral society. In polymer electrolyte membranes (PEMs), gas crossover of hydrogen and oxygen reduces fuel-cell efficiency and durability. As advanced multilayer PEMs continue to be developed, there is an increasing need for a simple method to evaluate gas permeability under practical temperature and humidity conditions.
In this study, we propose a simple and quantitative method for evaluating the gas permeability of multilayer PEMs using gas sensors. The proposed measurement system enables membrane evaluation while maintaining practical temperature and humidity conditions. Applying the method to a multilayer PEM incorporating a gas-barrier layer revealed that its oxygen permeability was approximately one-third that of a conventional membrane.
This method is expected to contribute to the design and evaluation of multilayer PEMs used in fuel cells.
Title: A Simplified Measurement Method for Gas Permeability in Multilayer Polymer Electrolyte Membranes
Authors: Fukaya, N., Al Rasyid Gautama, Z., Suzuki, T., Sasaki, K., Nishihara, M.
Journal Name: Journal of Power Sources
Published: February 9, 2026