Host: The Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers
Name : [in Japanese]
Date : October 22, 2016 - October 23, 2016
We have developed a Membrane Electrode Assembly (MEA) with a water management catalyst layer for Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells (PEFCs) by adding the carbon powder (NBH) with a water absorption performance to water management catalyst layer. The NBH with a Nano-pore was made by carbonizing the rice husk, and it functioned as an activated carbon. Although the water generated by cell reaction is absorbed to the Nano-pore of NBH, the absorbed water is not emitted outside from the catalytic layer by strong capillary force. However, the absorbed water is supplied to the membrane by a concentration diffusion of water under non-humidity condition. As a result, the MEA with NBH without humidifying obtained a good cell performance compared to the standard MEA even though the amount of platinum catalyst is reduced.
