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MODIFIED GAS DIFFUSION LAYER FOR FUEL CELLS SYNTHESIZED BY PULSED LASER ABLATION
Daniela Ebrasu1*, Gabriela Dorcioman2, Ionut Enculescu3, Nicolae Serban2, Emil Axente2, Felix Sima2, Carmen Ristoscu2, Ioan N. Mihailescu2, Ioan Stefanescu1
1National Research and Development Institute for Cryogenics and Isotopic Technologies – ICIT Rm. Valcea, Uzinei Street no.4, O.P Râureni, P.O.Box 7, 240050, Rm. Vâlcea, phone:0040 250 736979, fax:0040 250 732746
ABSTRACT
In this paper are presented the first results regarding the development of a modified gas diffusion layer for fuel cells consisting of a simple or teflonized carbon cloth pulsed laser deposited with metal oxide nanostructures designed to operate both as co-catalyst, and oxidic support for other electrochemically active catalysts. We selected TiO2, ZnO and Al2O3 doped (2 wt.%) ZnO which were uniformly distributed over the surface of gas diffusion layers in order to improve the catalytic activity, stability and lifetime, and reduce the production costs of proton exchange membrane fuel cells. We evidenced by scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy that our depositions consisted of TiO2 nanoparticles while in the case of ZnO and Al2O3 doped (2 wt.%) ZnO transparent quasi-continuous films were synthesized.
KEYWORDS: fuel cells, cathode catalyst, nanoparticles, pulsed laser ablation, metallic oxides. *Corresponding author: e-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it 2Lasers Department, National Institute for Lasers, Plasma and Radiations Physics, 409 Atomistilor Street, PO Box MG-54, RO-77125, Magurele, Ilfov, Romania 3National Institute of Materials Physics, 105 Bis Atomistilor Street, RO-77125, Magurele, Ilfov, Romania |