Understanding the impact of the gas diffusion layer structure on catalyst utilization in the PEM water electrolyzer
A multiphysics half-cell model of a polymer electrolyte membrane water electrolyzer (PEMWE) was developed to probe impacts of the detailed 3-dimensional pore structure of the gas diffusion layer (GDL) on performance characteristics. We show that pores in the titanium GDL mesh led to significant unde...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Next Energy |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2949821X25000821 |
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| author | Yuyao Huang Samuel Williams Tae Wook Heo Aaron Marshall Brandon Wood John Kennedy James Metson Meng Wai Woo Jingjing Liu |
| author_facet | Yuyao Huang Samuel Williams Tae Wook Heo Aaron Marshall Brandon Wood John Kennedy James Metson Meng Wai Woo Jingjing Liu |
| author_sort | Yuyao Huang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | A multiphysics half-cell model of a polymer electrolyte membrane water electrolyzer (PEMWE) was developed to probe impacts of the detailed 3-dimensional pore structure of the gas diffusion layer (GDL) on performance characteristics. We show that pores in the titanium GDL mesh led to significant underutilization of the catalyst layer (CL), with only 45% of the catalyst effectively utilized. This contradicts the assumption of uniform electron flow across the CL, as shown in graphical abstract (a), as near-zero current was observed near GDL pore regions and the current distribution in CL was influenced by GDL structure, as shown in graphical abstract (b). Instead, oxygen generation was primarily concentrated under the solid titanium regions, diffusing out around the pore walls. High current density peaks were also noted at the GDL-catalyst contact, correlating with degradation hotspots that were directly observed in companion experiments, as shown in graphical abstract (c). Collectively, these findings point to the critical importance of the heterogeneous GDL porous architecture not only for PEMWE efficiency but also for uneven degradation of the CL. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-7b3779ad7da647d79428aba0b1c2f7be |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2949-821X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Next Energy |
| spelling | doaj-art-7b3779ad7da647d79428aba0b1c2f7be2025-08-20T02:17:33ZengElsevierNext Energy2949-821X2025-07-01810031910.1016/j.nxener.2025.100319Understanding the impact of the gas diffusion layer structure on catalyst utilization in the PEM water electrolyzerYuyao Huang0Samuel Williams1Tae Wook Heo2Aaron Marshall3Brandon Wood4John Kennedy5James Metson6Meng Wai Woo7Jingjing Liu8Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Auckland, Auckland, New ZealandDepartment of Chemical and Materials Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Auckland, Auckland, New ZealandLawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, United StatesUniversity of Canterbury, Department of Chemical and Process Engineering, 20 Kirkwood Avenue, Upper Riccarton, Christchurch 8041, New ZealandLawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, United StatesNational Isotope Center, GNS Science, 30 Gracefield Road, Gracefield, Lower Hutt 5010, New ZealandUniversity of Auckland, Faculty of Science, Auckland, 1010, New ZealandDepartment of Chemical and Materials Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Auckland, Auckland, New ZealandDepartment of Chemical and Materials Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand; Corresponding author.A multiphysics half-cell model of a polymer electrolyte membrane water electrolyzer (PEMWE) was developed to probe impacts of the detailed 3-dimensional pore structure of the gas diffusion layer (GDL) on performance characteristics. We show that pores in the titanium GDL mesh led to significant underutilization of the catalyst layer (CL), with only 45% of the catalyst effectively utilized. This contradicts the assumption of uniform electron flow across the CL, as shown in graphical abstract (a), as near-zero current was observed near GDL pore regions and the current distribution in CL was influenced by GDL structure, as shown in graphical abstract (b). Instead, oxygen generation was primarily concentrated under the solid titanium regions, diffusing out around the pore walls. High current density peaks were also noted at the GDL-catalyst contact, correlating with degradation hotspots that were directly observed in companion experiments, as shown in graphical abstract (c). Collectively, these findings point to the critical importance of the heterogeneous GDL porous architecture not only for PEMWE efficiency but also for uneven degradation of the CL.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2949821X25000821PEM water electrolyzerElectron distributionCOMSOLOxygen generationCatalyst efficiency |
| spellingShingle | Yuyao Huang Samuel Williams Tae Wook Heo Aaron Marshall Brandon Wood John Kennedy James Metson Meng Wai Woo Jingjing Liu Understanding the impact of the gas diffusion layer structure on catalyst utilization in the PEM water electrolyzer Next Energy PEM water electrolyzer Electron distribution COMSOL Oxygen generation Catalyst efficiency |
| title | Understanding the impact of the gas diffusion layer structure on catalyst utilization in the PEM water electrolyzer |
| title_full | Understanding the impact of the gas diffusion layer structure on catalyst utilization in the PEM water electrolyzer |
| title_fullStr | Understanding the impact of the gas diffusion layer structure on catalyst utilization in the PEM water electrolyzer |
| title_full_unstemmed | Understanding the impact of the gas diffusion layer structure on catalyst utilization in the PEM water electrolyzer |
| title_short | Understanding the impact of the gas diffusion layer structure on catalyst utilization in the PEM water electrolyzer |
| title_sort | understanding the impact of the gas diffusion layer structure on catalyst utilization in the pem water electrolyzer |
| topic | PEM water electrolyzer Electron distribution COMSOL Oxygen generation Catalyst efficiency |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2949821X25000821 |
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