The LIQUAC model is extended to describe water activities of polymer electr
olyte at the operating condition of polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEFC). T
he proposed model includes the long-range interaction contribution caused b
y the Coulomb electrostatic forces, the middle-range interaction contributi
on from the indirect effects of the charge interactions and the short-range
interaction contribution represented by the chain length dependence of a p
olymer. Theoretical predictions and experimental results are in good agreem
ent. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.