Improving the Performance of a PEMFC with Ketjenblack EC-600JD Carbon Black as the Material of the Microporous Layer

To improve the performance of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC), a more porous electrode was successfully prepared with a nonprocessed Ketjenblack EC-600JD carbon black as the material of the micro porous layer (MPL) in comparison with Vulcan XC-72R. Cyclic voltammograms showed a 49.3% increase in the Pt utilization for the more porous electrode over that with Vulcan XC-72R. An improvement in cell performance was also observed for the more porous electrode, which is attributed to increased Pt utilization and improved mass transport. Furthermore, the durability test of the cell demonstrated nondecay performance after operation.