Temperature Dependence Scattering Around the Electrode of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell

This study investigates the impact of external temperature on the output voltage of a Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC), aiming to understand how temperature affects PEMFC performance and involved on scattering phenomena. Pt/stainless steel-coated electrodes were prepared using the electrodeposition method, with a 1 mg Aqua regia Pt solution at 45°C and 4V for 20 seconds. The electrode was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) to confirm successful platinum deposition. A single PEMFC was designed with a proton exchange membrane, and hydrogen gas (1 mL/min) was supplied via electrolysis. The effect of external temperature was examined using a 40W filament bulb. At room temperature, the voltage increased from 0.01 V to 0.06 V, but with increased temperature, the voltage decreased and reached zero under both load and no-load conditions. Theoretical analysis of Differential Cross-Section (DCS) of laser-assisted scattering showed increased DCS at higher temperatures, supporting the observed voltage decrease. The study concludes that external temperature negatively impacts PEMFC voltage due to resistance from surrounding particles and increased entropy, highlighting the importance of temperature optimization in PEMFC efficiency.