Development and Evaluation of Gas Diffusion Layer Using Paraffin Wax Carbon for Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells

A gas diffusion layer (GDL) with carbon prepared from paraffin wax was developed for the first time to impart hydrophobicity and porosity for fuel cell application. It is also intended to reduce the non-functional binder content in the microporous layer and to achieve optimum performance. The topography of the GDL was examined using 3D digital microscope. Membrane electrodes assemblies (MEAs) fabricated with GDLs of paraffin wax carbon (PWC) based microporous layer were evaluated in proton exchange membrane fuel cell between 50 and 100% RH conditions using H-2 and O-2 at ambient pressure. The fuel cell performance of the GDLs fabricated with Pureblack carbon was also evaluated under identical operating conditions for comparison. It was observed that the MEA with GDLs containing PWC showed excellent fuel cell performance at all RH conditions at 80 degrees C both with H-2/O-2.