Conveners
MS17: 3.2
- Jonas Hereijgers (University of Antwerp)
- Maxime van der Heijden
MS17: 3.3
- Jonas Hereijgers (University of Antwerp)
- Jeff Gostick (University of Waterloo)
MS17: 4.2
- Jeff Gostick (University of Waterloo)
- Maxime van der Heijden
The gas diffusion layer (GDL) plays a key role in water management in the proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell; this is now well-accepted in the field. However, the GDL and the porous transport layer (PTL) in electrolyzers are not the only porous materials and interfaces that should be considered for PEM fuel cells and electrolyzers. Together with the catalyst layer, microporous layer, and...
Porous transport layers (PTLs) are pivotal components in polymer electrolyte membrane water electrolyzers (PEMWEs). At the anode, the PTL is placed between the bipolar plate and the polymer electrolyte membrane and must provide sufficient electrical and thermal conductivity, efficient contact with the catalyst layer (which is deposited on a membrane) to maximize catalyst utilization,...
The transport behaviour of porous electrodes is fundamental to the performance of polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cells. As a promising clean energy technology, PEM fuel cells rely on porous media to facilitate the electrochemical conversion of hydrogen and oxygen into water, heat, and electricity. This process depends on the effective diffusion of reactants through porous gas...
Hydrogen production via alkaline water electrolysis (AWE) is an important clean energy technology; however, its efficiency is challenged by poor gas-liquid transport, high ohmic losses, and material degradation. Additive manufacturing (AM), specifically laser powder bed fusion (LPBF), enables the fabrication of porous transport layers (PTLs) with precise control over porosity and feature...
Global warming and the urgency of achieving net-zero greenhouse-gas emissions by 2050, as articulated by international frameworks such as the Paris Agreement (IPCC 2023) [1], require scalable electrochemical CO2 reduction (CO2R) technologies powered by renewable electricity [2]. A critical component of CO2R systems is the catalyst layer—a reactive porous medium in which coupled multiphase,...
Porous electrodes are performance- and cost-defining components of redox flow batteries (RFBs), governing electrolyte transport, accessible surface area for electrochemical reactions, and mass, charge, and heat transport within the cell [1]. Yet, the carbon fiber electrodes most commonly used today were originally developed for fuel cells and are not tailored to the diverse kinetic and...
Redox flow batteries are promising for large scale stationary energy storage, necessary with the rising share of intermittent electricity sources like wind mills and solar panels. The performance of redox flow batteries is however hindered by hurdles such as mass transport limitations and slow kinetics, affecting its efficiency. In this work, we studied the effect of non-steady state pulsatile...
Achieving the full potential of hydrogen energy requires the use of highly efficient devices for its production and consumption such as Solid Oxide Cells (SOCs). In-situ and ex-situ characterization techniques can be applied to differentiate effective designs from less efficient ones. In-situ methods assess cells during operation, while ex-situ techniques analyse individual components....
Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell is considered as an attractive pollutant-free alternative to thermal engines, especially for Heavy Duty applications. In this context, the study focuses on one major fuel cell components: the gas diffusion layer (GDL). The GDL is a thin porous medium, made of graphitized carbon fibers. To increase performance, a treatment is performed to render the GDL...
Recent studies on electrochemical energy storage devices, such as electrodes (anodes and cathodes) for Li-ion batteries and supercapacitors, have increasingly emphasized the critical role of the pore network [1, 2]. It is now well recognized that pore structure can either facilitate or hinder charge/ discharge or redox processes. In this context, the three-dimensional porous architecture of an...
Understanding and improving mass and ionic transport mechanisms within the nano-porous membrane used in polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) water splitting electrolyzers is vital for achieving improved efficiencies that would enable the use of water electrolysis in sustainable energy infrastructures. To achieve this goal, microfluidics electrolyzers can serve as flexible platforms for operando...
Open-cell metallic foams offer a combination of high permeability and a large accessible surface area, as well as good thermal and electrical conductivity. This makes them a versatile substrate for functional porous-media devices. Their three-dimensional strut network enables efficient heat and mass transport at low pressure drop. However, practical performance depends heavily on how surface...
The production of renewable energy is gradually increasing as part of the global efforts to mitigate the global warming. However, the inherent intermittency of renewable energy sources creates a growing need for reliable large-scale energy storage devices. Flow batteries (FBs) are considered a promising candidate for large scale stationary energy storage, but their energy efficiency is limited...
