Review of the experimental study and prediction of Pt-based catalyst degradation during PEM fuel cell operation

The degradation of Pt-based catalyst severely limits the life-time of a fuel cell with a proton-conductive polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM FC) operating with H-2 as the fuel and O-2 as the oxidant. In this paper, a review of recent progress in the description of degradation mechanisms by experimental techniques and a prediction of the extent of degradation by means of mathematical modelling are presented. Significant progress in the development of PEM FCs has been achieved both by basic research and advanced single-cell testing, often combining electrochemical and in situ analytical methods. The intensity of degradation processes is strongly dependent on operating conditions and, consequently, their experimental investigation requires a different scientific approach for each type of PEM FC. Mathematical modelling complements experimental studies to describe the individual degradation mechanisms.