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research article

Manufacturing protocol and post processing of ultra-thin gas diffusion layer using advanced scanning techniques

Pourrahmani, Hossein  
•
Van Herle, Jan  
December 1, 2024
Scientific Reports

The typical commercial size of a Gas Diffusion Layer (GDL) for Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC) application is around 180 μm up to 290 μm. GDL facilitates the diffusion of reactants to the catalyst layers and liquid removal from the membrane to the flow field. In this regard, GDL should be a porous region with conductive materials as thin as possible to reduce the size and the costs. Lowering the thickness of the GDL also results in better performance of the stack since it increases the speed of reactants to reach the catalysts. However, the main obstacle is the formation of ultra-thin porous GDL, which can be also named as standalone microporous layer (MPL). The novelty of this study is the manufacturing process and production of ultra-thin porous GDL with carbon and Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) as the main materials. The produced GDL has the thickness of 28.9 μm, which has been measured using microscope imaging. This novel GDL can be used as the conductive diffusive region inside the PEM fuel cells, Alkaline fuel cells, and the cathode of PEM and Alkaline electrolyzers. Additionally, the novel invention can be considered as a 2D membrane for carbon capture purposes after being functionalized.

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Type
research article
DOI
10.1038/s41598-024-63751-z
Scopus ID

2-s2.0-85195439388

PubMed ID

38844570

Author(s)
Pourrahmani, Hossein  

École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne

Van Herle, Jan  

École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne

Date Issued

2024-12-01

Publisher

Nature Research

Published in
Scientific Reports
Volume

14

Issue

1

Article Number

13078

Subjects

Gas diffusion layer (GDL)

•

Low thickness

•

Proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC)

•

Water/thermal management

Editorial or Peer reviewed

REVIEWED

Written at

EPFL

EPFL units
SCI-STI-JVH  
FunderFunding(s)Grant NumberGrant URL

European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program

PIXE

Marie Sklodowska-Curie

754354

Available on Infoscience
January 21, 2025
Use this identifier to reference this record
https://infoscience.epfl.ch/handle/20.500.14299/243145
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