Study on Catalysts and Bipolar Plates in Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells for enhancing properties
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.54097/q7agyn62Keywords:
PEMFC, Non-platinum catalysts, Bipolar plate optimization, Flow field configuration.Abstract
Currently, proton exchange membrane fuel cells are a highly efficient clean energy conversion technology, and their performance optimisation depends on the synergistic innovation of catalysts and bipolar plates. This paper systematically studies strategies for enhancing the activity of non-platinum catalysts and the synergistic optimisation mechanism of bipolar plate flow field and materials. The design of atomically dispersed Fe-N-C sites, heteroatom doping, and the construction of porous carbon carriers to create high-density active centres significantly enhance the kinetics of the oxygen reduction reaction. The Fe-N-C system can achieve a half-wave potential of 0.78–0.92 V in acidic media, and its peak power density is 890 mW/cm², approaching the level of commercial Pt/C. The new square baffle channel and symmetrical serpentine flow field can increase power density by 12.1–22.9%, while the metal foam structure reduces reactant consumption by 30%. CrAlCN and TiZrC coatings reduce interfacial contact resistance to 1.60 mΩ·cm², achieve corrosion current density at the 10-8 A·cm-2 level, and attain a water contact angle of 121.7°±1.0°. Research indicates that regulating the electronic state of non-platinum catalyst active sites and optimising mass transfer and electrical conductivity in bipolar plates are important to overcoming performance bottlenecks in PEMFCs, providing theoretical support and engineering pathways for low-platinum fuel cell technology.
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