Water cluster characteristics of fuel cell gas diffusion layers with artificial microporous layer crack dilation

The formation of discrete water clusters in polymer electrolyte fuel cell gas diffusion layers (GDL) can lead to increased resistance for oxygen transport the catalyst layer. This study investigates effect MPL crack propagation on cluster development a X-ray computed tomography (CT) microstructure using volume-of-fluid method (VoF). VoF calculation was compared operando CT data by voxel matching, obtaining maximum 88 % accuracy. Using 3D contact angle extraction, local scale heterogeneous wettability GDL investigated. In simulation study, cracks were created as boundary sources and increasing area fraction covered distribution cracking, larger with greater connectivity, due in-plane coalescence. movement leads coalescence clusters, forming fewer, at later times close breakthrough channel. phenomena is shown decrease density (n mm?2) from 10 5. immobile impacts layer (10 difference) therefore current distribution.