Understanding degradation in Fe-based polymer electrolyte fuel cells using 3D elemental mapping

We aim to use x-ray fluorescence computed tomography to obtain key insights into durability issues of Fe-based fuel cell catalyst materials. Fe-leaching from the C-encapsulated iron nanoparticles present in the initial catalyst as well as concomitant-poisoning of the catalyst layer's H+-conducting ionomer with leached Fe-ions are both possible mechanisms to which instability issues are ascribed. This in-house experiment will be used to assess the limitation in the sensitivity to S content, that is fundamentally important in this technology.