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Numerical Investigation Of Mechanical Durability In Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells, Ahmet Kusoglu, Michael H. Santare, Anette M. Karlsson, Simon Cleghorn, William B. Johnson

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Publications

The relationship between the mechanical behavior and water transport in the membrane electrode assembly (MEA) is numerically investigated. Swelling plays a key role in the mechanical response of the MEA during fuel cell operation because swelling can be directly linked to the development of stresses. Thus, in the model introduced here, the stresses and the water distribution are coupled. Two membranes are studied: unreinforced perfluorosulfonic acid (PFSA) and an experimental reinforced composite membrane. The results suggest that open-circuit voltage operations lead to a uniform distribution of stresses and plastic deformation, whereas under current-load operation, the stresses and the plastic deformation …