Laser Ablation ICP-MS for Detecting Additives in Fuel Cell Membranes

Proton-conducting membranes based on perfluorosulfonic acid (PFSA) ionomers are central to the performance and durability of modern hydrogen fuel cells. Although these fully fluorinated materials exhibit excellent oxidative stability, they are susceptible to gradual chemical degradation under fuel cell operating conditions. A key degradation pathway arises from hydrogen peroxide formed as a side reaction within the cell, which can decompose into highly reactive oxygen species, including hydroxyl (•OH) and hydroperoxyl (•OOH) radicals. Of these, hydroxyl radicals are considerably more reactive and are regarded as the primary drivers of membrane degradation (1,2). Cerium (Ce)-based additives are widely used as radical scavengers because they can reversibly cycle between the Ce(III) and Ce(IV) oxidation states, enabling the decomposition of peroxide-derived radicals and hydrogen peroxide before they attack the membrane (3). However, the long-term effectiveness of cerium additives is often limited by their dissolution and migration within the membrane during fuel cell operation (4)