Effects of Platinum Loading on PEFC Power Generation Performance Deterioration by Carbon Monoxide in Hydrogen Fuel

Abstract

Hydrogen for fuel cell vehicles is likely to contain impurities from its production process, and such impurities may poison the fuel cell catalyst, which in turn will deteriorate the power generation performance of the fuel cell especially when the Pt loading is reduced. Effects of anode Pt loading and CO as an impurity on power generation performance were investigated. The test results indicated that the smaller the Pt loading in the anode was, the more rapidly cell voltage declined under the influence of CO contained in the hydrogen. The amount of voltage decrease accelerated as the Pt loading was reduced. With regard to CO and CO2 concentrations in exhaust gas, it was found that when the cell voltage fell and stabilized following the supply of a CO-added hydrogen, a reduction of Pt loading resulted in the lowering of CO concentration and the heightening of CO2 concentration.