A review of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell durability for vehicular applications: Degradation modes and experimental techniques

Abstract Durability is one of the most significant technical barriers to successful commercialization of polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cells for practical vehicular applications. It is determined by the aging (degradation) and malfunction of various components during the long-term operation. Therefore, understanding the mechanisms of degradation modes in different components is crucial to the development of high-performing and long-lasting PEM fuel cells. In this review article, the critical degradation modes in major cell components, including membranes, catalyst layers, gas diffusion layers, and distribution plates, are comprehensively reviewed and analyzed, and the potential causes are described. Advanced experimental techniques to investigate the PEM fuel cell degradation modes reported in literature include steady-state durability tests and accelerated stress tests (ASTs). The steady-state durability test is straightforward but time-consuming and costly; therefore, ASTs are often applied to accelerate durability testing. For comparable results among different research studies, the experimental protocols and conditions have to be consistent, and the details of these experimental techniques are systematically reviewed in this article. The experimental results with a focus on the degradation modes, degradation rate, and test time of the PEM fuel cells have been reported. Finally, in order to understand the root causes of degradation modes and to develop the mitigation strategies, ex-situ ASTs in literature have been reviewed, including the effects of cyclic temperature, humidity, water wet-dry, freeze-thaw, clamping stress, and vibration operations.