Recent progress in performance improvement of the proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC)

Research activities to improve the performance of the low platinum loading hydrogen-air proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) operating at atmospheric pressure are described. Pore-forming additives, new types of proton exchange membranes, and higher activity platinum-on-carbon electrocatalysts have been used in low platinum loading gas diffusion electrodes (GDEs) and Membrane-electrode assemblies (MEAs) developed at this center. A method for the fabrication of an integrated GDE and light weight gas flow-field is described. As a result, a three-fold improvement in PEMFC performance at the same platinum loading has been achieved. (C) 2002 Published by Elsevier Science B.V.