Effect of mixed solvents in nafion solution on performance of catalyst-coated membrane (CCM) for proton exchange membrane fuel cells

• Main Author: Yap, Zhi Sian
• Other Authors: Chan Siew Hwa
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: Nanyang Technological University 2021
• Subjects: Engineering::Mechanical engineering
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10356/150022
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

Since the failure of the United Nations Climate Change Copenhagen Conference and Kyoto Protocol, many countries have their own policy to address the issue instead of coordinated efforts [1]. Nearly 200 countries were successfully invited to Paris Climate Conference in 2015 to agree on stronger carbon reduction commitments from all countries. It has managed to convince so many countries because it has a comprehensive system for tracking, reporting, and reassessing individual and collective countries over time in order to get the world closer to the objectives [2]. Hydrogen has been recognized as an alternative to fossil fuels and a valuable tool to decarbonize the global economy. Hydrogen is the lightest and most abundant and clean element on earth as it only emits water and does not produce carbon dioxide when burnt [3]. In a hydrogen economy, hydrogen will balance the use of variable renewables to generate electricity and replace fossil fuels, which currently generate four-fifths of global energy and produce the majority of global greenhouse gas emissions. Hydrogen could be easily made by electrolysis, splitting fossil fuels, or biomass (steam reforming/pyrolysis) [4]. Hydrogen is a super-versatile energy carrier that can be stored, liquified, and transported by pipelines, trucks, or ships. It can also be used to make fertilizer, an off-the-grid application such as buses, trucks, aircraft, and ship propulsions and less extent portable or stationary power [5]. In this report, the author will discuss the fabrication method to the current technology of PEMFC. The conventional method of assembling PEMFC involved membrane electrode assembly (MEA) assembled by proton membrane and electrodes coated with catalyst. The final year project was conducted to investigate the effect of mixed solvents in Nafion solution and efficiency of the new catalyst coated membrane (CCM) fabricated using direct spray-coating of CCM method. The project includes various experiments to obtain the ideal parameter for single-cell testing, optimum level of catalyst loading, and the most efficient mixed solvents. The main objective of this project is to produce catalyst coated membranes with different chemical compositions of solvents to produce the optimum performance.