Fuel Cell Perfluorinated Sulfonic Acid Membrane Degradation Correlating Accelerated Stress Testing and Lifetime

Cost, durability, performance, reliability, efficiency, and size are some of the requirements that must be met before proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells can be used more extensively. The steady, moderate loss of performance is usually a result of steady electrode degradation, due to carbon corrosion, platinum dissolution and deposition inside the membrane, platinum sintering, particle growth, and recrystallization, or membrane degradation including fluoride loss, splitting of the backbone, and losses of side chains, ultimately resulting in membrane defects. Fundamental understanding of fuel cell degradation mechanisms and generation of expertise to mitigate this degradation is accomplished by directed lifetime and degradation testing. It is not practical to evaluate membrane durability using normal fuel cell operating conditions because of the time and resources involved.