SOLID POLYMER ELECTROLYTE FUEL-CELL (SPEFC) RESEARCH-AND-DEVELOPMENT AT THE INSTITUTE CNR-TAE OF MESSINA

In the sector of solid polymer electrolyte fuel cells, the CNR-TAE act ivities have been focused on the development of a fuel cell system bas ed on a proprietary dual-layer electrode preparation procedure. The in fluence of some characteristic parameters of the electrodes, i.e. hydr ophobic agent and Nafion(R) loadings, on electrochemical performance h as been explored. It has been concluded that in the diffusion layer, t he amount of hydrophobic agent controls the water transfer into the ce ll and consequently the mass transport phenomena. In the active layer, the Nafion(R) content mostly influences the electrocatalytic activity and the ionic resistance of the cell.