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The life-time of fuel cells is one of the main barriers for using fuel cells as electric power generators or sources in mass market products. Therefore, in the last years the research activit to investigate the degradation processes and mechanisms of fuel cells has intensified significantly. Consequently, many degradation processes in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEFC) have been identified and some of the degradation mechanisms are understood quantitatively. However, still not all significant degradation mechanisms are understood sufficiently and the relation of the degradation rates and the accelerating operating conditions are unclear for most degradation processes. For many degradation processes the water management, especially a liquid water phase inside the cell is a crucial factor for the degradatio processes. In addition, the water management will also be changed by the degradation processes. Consequently, these complex interactions have to be investigated in detail. In this context the European Commission is funding the DECODE project. The main topic is the investigation of the complex interactions of water balance and degradation processes. Eleven partners from industry, research institutes and university are working together to elucidate the degradation mechanisms of electrodes, membranes, gas diffusion layers and stack bipolar plates. |
