Ex situ characterization and modelling of fatigue crack propagation in catalyst coated membrane composites for fuel cell applications

Abstract

Interactions between catalyst layers and membrane are known to influence the mechanical properties of catalyst coated membrane (CCM) composites used in fuel cells, and can further affect their fatigue-driven mechanical fracture — an important lifetime-limiting failure mode in automotive applications. Here, the fracture propagation phenomenon in CCMs is characterized through a series of ex situ experiments and microstructural investigations conducted across a range of stress, temperature (23-70 °C), and relative humidity (50–90%) conditions relevant to low-temperature polymer electrolyte fuel cells. In comparison to pure membranes, the crack propagation rates are slightly arrested in CCMs through mechanical reinforcement offered by the catalyst layers; however, the membrane layer still controls the overall crack growth trends through its temperature and humidity dependent ductile fracture characterized by confined yielding around the fracture surface. Local interfacial delamination and severe electrode cracking are found to accompany the CCM crack propagation, which aids membrane fracture by loss of local reinforcement. A Paris law based fracture modelling framework, incorporating the elastic-viscoplastic mechanical response of CCMs, is developed to semi-analytically evaluate one-dimensional crack growth rate during cyclic loading, and provides reasonably accurate predictions for the present ex situ problem.