Abstract

A method of predicting polymer electrolyte fuel cell performance loss due to electrocatalyst degradation was developed in order to reduce the performance loss caused by fuel cell startup and stop and by acceleration and deceleration during driving.An electrochemical method was used to define a platinum stress index to express the influence on platinum (Pt) catalyst degradation from potential cycles in a fuel cell stack. It was found that Pt stress shows an exponential relationship with the rate of loss of catalyst activity, and an empirical prediction model for Pt catalyst degradation was developed.When the developed model based on Pt stress was used to predict performance loss in a stack during startup and stop, the results showed that a prediction accuracy of approximately 90% was achieved and confirmed that the model could be applied as a catalyst degradation prediction model.Operating conditions derived from the prediction model were incorporated into fuel cell system development. The results showed that the rate of performance loss during startup and stop was reduced by approximately 57 points compared to the conventional rate, thereby confirming the usefulness of the model.

References

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Author (organization or company)

• Masakuni YAMAMOTO（Automobile R&D Center）
• Hiroshi MATSUMORI（Automobile R&D Center）

Publication Information

Article of Honda R&D Technical Review Vol.28 No.1 (41 - 49)

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