ANN ARBOR, MI
Dr. Liang Wang of the Materials Research Department at Toyota Research Institute of North America (TRINA) has developed a promising new method to enhance the performance of high-temperature polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (HT-PEMFCs), a key technology for future heavy-duty vehicles. In a recent study published in Journal of Power Sources, Dr. Wang demonstrates how surface modification using ionic liquids (ILs) can mitigate phosphoric acid (PA) poisoning of platinum catalysts.
Phosphoric acid is essential for proton conduction in high-temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cells (HT-PEMFCs), but it also adsorbs strongly onto platinum surfaces, hindering the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and reducing fuel cell efficiency. To address this, an ionic liquid modifier was introduced into the catalyst layer, significantly reducing PA adsorption while preserving access to active platinum sites. Tests on high-temperature rotating disk electrodes (RDE) and full membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) showed marked improvements in catalytic activity and overall performance.
Further optimization revealed the ideal ionic liquid-to-carbon (IL/C) ratio, shedding light on the mechanism of performance enhancement. Durability tests simulating start-up and shutdown conditions confirmed the MEA’s stability, underscoring the practical value of this approach. The findings provide a scalable pathway to more efficient, durable HT-PEMFCs—bringing the technology closer to commercial viability for next-generation clean transportation.
Please see the complete work published in Journal of Power Sources
