A high-throughput method for quantifying degradation in maritime PEM fuel cells using a multichannel potentiostat

The durability of proton exchange membrane fuel cells under maritime conditions is influenced by the vessel's operational profile, for example idling and intermittent shutdowns. To investigate this, we introduce a high-throughput accelerated stress test (AST) methodology using a multichannel potentiostat to simultaneously analyze up to eight membrane electrode assemblies. Voltage hold ASTs identified 0.825 V as a practical upper limit for idling voltage, above which Pt oxidation and dissolution significantly accelerate electrochemical surface area (ECSA) loss. Hydrogen soak short-stop and shutdown protocols reveal a strong frequency dependence. Frequent short-stops accelerate catalyst degradation, whereas longer shutdown intervals reduce degradation rates, indicating a transition from transient-driven to time-dominated degradation. X-ray diffraction analysis confirms that ECSA loss correlates with Pt crystallite growth. These findings show that frequent voltage transients, rather than operating voltage alone, dominate catalyst degradation under dynamic operation. This new methodology enables rapid durability mapping and provides guidelines for maritime PEMFC operation.