고분자 전해질 연료전지(Polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell, PEMFC) 고분자막의 내구성 향상을 위해서 빠른 시간에 내구성을 평가할 수 있는 가속 내구 평가법들이 연구 개발되었다. 그러나 트럭, 버스 등 대형 상용차용 연료전 지 수명은 승용차보다 3배 이상 요구되어 화학적 가속 내구 평가(Accelerated stress test, AST) 시간도 길어져서 1,500 시간 이상이 되었다. 그래서 본 연구에서는 단 시간내에 고분자막의 화학적 내구성을 평가하기 위한 방법으로 막 초기 특성으로 내구성을 예측할 수 있을지 검토하였다. 초기 특성으로 수소투과전류밀도(Hydrogen crossover current density, HCCD)와 단락 저항(Short resistance, SR)을 그리고 3시간의 셀 밖 실험으로 가능한 Fenton 실험을 통해 AST 시간을 예측하였다. HCCD와 불소 이온 유출 농도가 증가하면 AST 시간이 선형적으로 짧아지는 경향을 보였으나 편차가 있 었다(R2≒0.65). SR이 감소하면 AST 시간이 선형적으로 증가하는 상관관계를 보였으며 정확도가 높아(R2=0.93) 고분 자막 초기 SR로 AST 시간을 예측할 수 있었다.

For durability improvement of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) polymer membrane, accelerated durability evaluation methods that can evaluate durability in a short time have been researched and developed. However, the lifespan of fuel cells for large commercial vehicles such as trucks and buses is more than three times that of passenger cars, and the chemical accelerated stress test (AST) time is also longer, reaching 1,500 hours or more. Therefore, in this study, as a method to evaluate the chemical durability of a membrane within a short time, it was examined whether the durability could be predicted by the pristine membrane characteristics. Hydrogen crossover current density (HCCD) and short resistance (SR) were estimated as initial characteristics, and AST time was predicted through the Fenton experiment, which was possible as an out-of-cell experiment for 3 hours. As the HCCD and fluoride ion emission concentration increased, the AST time tended to be linearly shortened, but there was a deviation (R2≒0.65). When the SR decreased, the AST time showed a linear increase, and the accuracy was high (R2=0.93), so the AST time could be predicted with the initial SR of the membrane.

PEMFC Membrane degradation AST time Prediction Short resistance Hydrogen crossover

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