Fuel Cell Electrode Characterization Using Neutron Scattering

Abstract

Electrochemical energy conversion and storage is key for the use of regenerative energies at large scale. A thorough understanding of the individual components, such as the ion conducting membrane and the electrode layers, can be obtained with scattering techniques on atomit to molecular length scales. The largely heterogeneous electrode layers of High-Temperature Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells are studied in this work with small- and wide-angle neutron scattering at the same time with the iMATERIA diffractometer at the spallation neutron source at J-PARC, opening a view on structural properties on atomic to mesoscopic length scales.

The European Spallation Source in a personal view for the German Colloid and Soft Matter Society

“…The engineering instruments BEER and HEIMDAL serve also for much higher Q with a compromise in the SANS range where lowest Q are cut. However, this large Q-range is interesting for crystallizing materials, such as polymeric membranes for fuel and electrolyzer cells [5,6]. In operando studies are highly interesting for studying the conversion mechanisms and fatigue in the membrane.…”