Analysis of membrane electrode assembly (MEA) by environmental scanning electron microscope (ESEM)

Yu, Hong Mei; Schumacher, Jürgen; Zobel, Marco; Hebling, Christopher

doi:10.1016/j.jpowsour.2004.12.069

Publication type:	Article in scientific journal
Type of review:	Peer review (publication)
Title:	Analysis of membrane electrode assembly (MEA) by environmental scanning electron microscope (ESEM)
Authors:	Yu, Hong Mei Schumacher, Jürgen Zobel, Marco Hebling, Christopher
DOI:	10.1016/j.jpowsour.2004.12.069
Published in:	Journal of Power Sources
Volume(Issue):	145
Issue:	2
Page(s):	216
Pages to:	222
Issue Date:	18-Aug-2005
Publisher / Ed. Institution:	Elsevier
ISSN:	0378-7753 1873-2755
Language:	English
Subjects:	Pefc; Fuel cells; Environmental scanning microscope
Subject (DDC):	621.3: Electrical, communications, control engineering
Abstract:	To date, the available equipment for characterising the microstructure of membrane electrode assembly (MEA) is still not well developed. For example, applying the normal scanning electron microscope (SEM) only provides information on the dry structure of MEAs. This paper presents a microstructure analysis method of MEAs in proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC). The microstructure analysis in this paper utilises the environmental scanning electron microscope (ESEM), which shows its advantage on the sample microstructure analysis in wet mode. When water is present, the characteristics of the MEA, especially the hydrophobic and/or hydrophilic properties, are distinguishable on the ESEM images. With proper temperature and pressure control, the water distribution within both the membrane and the catalyst layer can be viewed by ESEM. Based on ESEM measurement and mercury porosity measurement, the distributions of hydrophobic and hydrophilic pores in MEA have been analyzed. By means of ESEM and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), a degraded MEA is characterized. The microstructure change of the degraded MEA has been discussed. The results provide helpful information for the understanding of MEAs in PEMFC.
URI:	https://digitalcollection.zhaw.ch/handle/11475/11604
Fulltext version:	Published version
License (according to publishing contract):	Licence according to publishing contract
Departement:	School of Engineering
Organisational Unit:	Institute of Computational Physics (ICP)
Appears in collections:	Publikationen School of Engineering

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Yu, H. M., Schumacher, J., Zobel, M., & Hebling, C. (2005). Analysis of membrane electrode assembly (MEA) by environmental scanning electron microscope (ESEM). Journal of Power Sources, 145(2), 216–222. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2004.12.069

Yu, H.M. et al. (2005) ‘Analysis of membrane electrode assembly (MEA) by environmental scanning electron microscope (ESEM)’, Journal of Power Sources, 145(2), pp. 216–222. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2004.12.069.

H. M. Yu, J. Schumacher, M. Zobel, and C. Hebling, “Analysis of membrane electrode assembly (MEA) by environmental scanning electron microscope (ESEM),” Journal of Power Sources, vol. 145, no. 2, pp. 216–222, Aug. 2005, doi: 10.1016/j.jpowsour.2004.12.069.

YU, Hong Mei, Jürgen SCHUMACHER, Marco ZOBEL und Christopher HEBLING, 2005. Analysis of membrane electrode assembly (MEA) by environmental scanning electron microscope (ESEM). Journal of Power Sources. 18 August 2005. Bd. 145, Nr. 2, S. 216–222. DOI 10.1016/j.jpowsour.2004.12.069

Yu, Hong Mei, Jürgen Schumacher, Marco Zobel, and Christopher Hebling. 2005. “Analysis of Membrane Electrode Assembly (MEA) by Environmental Scanning Electron Microscope (ESEM).” Journal of Power Sources 145 (2): 216–22. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2004.12.069.

Yu, Hong Mei, et al. “Analysis of Membrane Electrode Assembly (MEA) by Environmental Scanning Electron Microscope (ESEM).” Journal of Power Sources, vol. 145, no. 2, Aug. 2005, pp. 216–22, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2004.12.069.