Recently, Professor Kui Jiao 's team from the School of Mechanical Engineering has successfully developed a proton exchange membrane fuel cell with ultra-high power density, nearly doubling the performance of mainstream counterparts. The significant findings have been published in the international authoritative energy research journal "Joule".
Comparison of conventional and unconventional PEMFC designs
In response to global climate change and the pursuit of "dual carbon" goals, the global energy system is undergoing a deep transformation. As a promising low-carbon energy carrier, hydrogen plays a crucial role in this shift. Hydrogen fuel cells are regarded as one of the most promising hydrogen energy application technologies. Nevertheless, enhancing their volumetric power density remains a significant technical challenge.
Professor Jiao's team innovatively restructured the proton exchange membrane fuel cell's architecture, incorporating new components and optimizing the gas-water-electric-thermal transfer paths. They achieved an ultra-thin, ultra-high power density fuel cell. By utilizing electrospinning technology to produce ultra-thin carbon nanofiber film and nickel foam, they eliminated traditional gas diffusion layers and flow channels, reducing the membrane electrode assembly's thickness by about 90% and significantly lowering over 80% mass transfer losses caused by reactant diffusion. Consequently, they doubled the fuel cell's volumetric power density.
The team estimated that the peak volumetric power density of the fuel cell stack using this new structure could potentially reach 9.8 kilowatts per liter, surpassing the performance of current mainstream products by more than 80%. This breakthrough not only provides pivotal guidance for advancing proton exchange membrane fuel cell technology but also indicates a promising leap forward in the realm of clean energy.
The co-first authors of the related paper are doctoral candidate Chasen Tongsh and assistant researcher Siyuan Wu from Tianjin University, with corresponding authors being Professor Kui Jiao and Professor Michael Guiver from Tianjin University. Other contributors include Professor Qing Du from Tianjin University, Professor Jin Xuan from the University of Surrey, Professor Nigel Brandon and Professor Huizhi Wang from Imperial College London, Professor Jae Wan Park from the University of California, Davis, and doctoral candidate Wenming Huo from Tianjin University.
Paper link:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joule.2023.12.003
By Eva Yin
