MPI Colloquia Series: Dr. Tatyana V. Reshetenko, Comprehensive characterization of PEMFC performance using a segmented cell approach, University of Hawaii, Honolulu

The Max Planck Institute Magdeburg invites you to its series of colloquia.
Top-class scientists, from notable German and worldwide research institutions, give a survey of their research work. Everybody who is interested, is invited to attend.

Abstract

Market introduction of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) requires their durability, reliability and high performance at different environmental and operating conditions. The incremental utilization and depletion of fuel/oxidant, localized accumulation of water and buildup of impurities along flow field create locally dependent conditions during operation and result in a non-uniform performance distribution over a membrane/electrode assembly (MEA) area. The evaluation of fuel cell performance with a conventional single cell technique does not reveal the spatially variant behavior. By contrast, a segmented cell system provides locally resolved electrochemical parameters like voltage, current and impedance. Understanding localized behavior of fuel cells is very beneficial and key to their commercial deployments, environmental adaptability and design of the novel materials. The presentation will introduce a segmented cell system developed at Hawaii Natural Energy Institute and demonstrate its application for studying different aspects of PEMFC operation such as impacts of local MEA manufacturing defects, influences of major fuel (CO) and air contaminants (SO2, NO2 and organic compounds) and mass transfer phenomena in gas diffusion electrodes.

About the Speaker

Dr. Tatyana Reshetenko has more than 25 years of experience in material science and fuel cell development with a focus on characterization of spatial PEMFCs behavior under different operating conditions and fuel/air contaminants exposure. Dr. Reshetenko led US ARO funded projects on fundamental understanding of mass transport at PEMFCs. Currently she is a co-PI in US DOE funded work on development of PGM-free catalyst for fuel cell application and US ONR project related to development and application of segmented cell system for evaluation of PEMFC in conditions relevant to Navy operating environment. She is co-author of >70 papers, several patents and book chapters.