Novel gas diffusion layer for PEM fuel cells

Project Information

NGDL

Grant agreement ID: 303248

Project closed

Start date

End date

Funded under

• Specific programme "People" implementing the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities (2007 to 2013)

Total cost € 200 371,80

EU contribution € 200 371,80

Coordinated by

THE UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM
United Kingdom

Objective

The objective of this research proposal is to generate a novel gas diffusion layer (GDL) which will be a combination of existing carbon paper and cloth GDLs to ensure effective water management in PEM fuel cell. Water management is one of the technological challenges which needs to be addressed to commercialise PEM fuel cell technology and for hydrogen energy based future. Commercial paper and cloth GDL’s are good at handling specific water profile as carbon paper can handle dry operating mode effectively and carbon cloth handles flooding effectively. When fuel cells are deployed for automotive application they are subjected to wider operating condition depending on the load profile and hence there is a need to combine paper and cloth to obtain advantage of individual GDLs. The combined paper and cloth GDL will be achieved by two different means; first a bi-layer GDL will be developed by physically stacking paper and cloth GDL and compared with the performance of a conventional single paper or cloth GDL of equivalent thickness. Secondly hybrid paper-cloth GDL will be developed by directly coating slurry of chopped carbon fibers and resin on carbon cloth substrate followed by sintering. The properties of hybrid GDL will be determined as a function of coating thickness and hence the degree of hybridization will be optimized. The novel GDLs will be tested for their water management when subjected to European and Indian automotive driving cycles. The degree of hybridization between paper and cloth will be further refined for each of the driving cycles and knowledge obtained will be of greater interest for both European and the Indian community.

Fields of science

• engineering and technology › materials engineering › coating and films
• engineering and technology › materials engineering › composites › carbon fibers
• engineering and technology › environmental engineering › natural resources management › water management
• engineering and technology › environmental engineering › energy and fuels › fuel cells
• engineering and technology › environmental engineering › energy and fuels › renewable energy › hydrogen energy

Programme(s)

• FP7-PEOPLE - Specific programme "People" implementing the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities (2007 to 2013)

Topic(s)

• FP7-PEOPLE-2011-IIF - Marie Curie Action: "International Incoming Fellowships"

Call for proposal

FP7-PEOPLE-2011-IIF
See other projects for this call

Funding Scheme

MC-IIF - International Incoming Fellowships (IIF)

Coordinator

THE UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM

• EU contribution: € 200 371,80
• Address: Edgbaston ; B15 2TT Birmingham ; United Kingdom
• Region: West Midlands (England) › West Midlands › Birmingham
• Activity type: Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
• Administrative Contact: May Chung (Ms.)
• Total cost: No data