Investigation of the nanostructure of ionomer in fuel cell catalyst ink by SANS

Fuel cells are used in hydrogen-powered electric vehicles, where developments in performance and durability are crucial for further commercialization, which the final structure of the electrode (catalyst layer, CL) strongly influences. Composed of Pt nanoparticles supported on a carbon composite, embedded in a proton conductive polymer, the CL structure is known to be directly connected to that of the catalyst ink, where the components are dispersed in solvent, which is then dried to give highly heterogeneous structures. These are currently not well understood, leaving new developments reliant on a trial and error approach. The aim of this experiment is to develop our understanding of component interactions in catalyst inks, specifically related to the ionomer, via small angle neutron scattering to establish the impact on the final CL structure and hence fuel cell performance.