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Energies
Volume 18
Issue 6
10.3390/en18061525
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Article

Performance Improvement of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells with a TiO2 Sputtered Gas Diffusion Layer Under Low-Humidity Conditions

by
Byung Gyu Kang
1,
Ye Rim Kwon
1,
Ki Won Hong
1,
Sun Ki Kwon
1,
Hyeon Min Lee
1,
Dong Kun Song
1,
Ji Woong Jeon
1,
Do Young Jung
1,
Dohyun Go
2,* and
Gu Young Cho
1,*
1
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Dankook University, 152 Jukjeon-ro, Suji-gu, Yongin-si 16890, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea
2
Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
*
Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Energies 2025, 18(6), 1525; https://doi.org/10.3390/en18061525
Submission received: 24 February 2025 / Revised: 9 March 2025 / Accepted: 17 March 2025 / Published: 19 March 2025
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Development of Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Technologies)
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Abstract

Proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) are pivotal to advancing sustainable hydrogen energy systems. However, their performance decreases under low-humidity conditions (relative humidity, RH 50%) due to inadequate membrane hydration. This study addresses this challenge by utilizing a sputtering process to deposit titanium dioxide (TiO2) onto microporous layers (MPLs), enhancing their hydrophilicity and water management capabilities. TiO2 intrinsic hydrophilic properties and oxygen vacancies improve water adsorption and distribution, leading to more stable PEMFC performance under reduced humidity. Electrochemical evaluations revealed that while initial resistance slightly increased, long-term stability improved significantly. The TiO2-coated MPL exhibited a lower performance degradation rate, with a 12.33% reduction in current density compared to 25.3% for the pristine MPL after 10 h of operation. These findings demonstrate that TiO2 deposition effectively mitigates performance losses under low-humidity conditions, reducing the reliance on external humidification systems. This work contributes to the development of more efficient and sustainable fuel cell technologies for applications such as hydrogen-powered vehicles and distributed energy systems.
Keywords: polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell; sputtering; titanium dioxide; microporous layer; low humidity polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell; sputtering; titanium dioxide; microporous layer; low humidity

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MDPI and ACS Style

Kang, B.G.; Kwon, Y.R.; Hong, K.W.; Kwon, S.K.; Lee, H.M.; Song, D.K.; Jeon, J.W.; Jung, D.Y.; Go, D.; Cho, G.Y. Performance Improvement of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells with a TiO2 Sputtered Gas Diffusion Layer Under Low-Humidity Conditions. Energies 2025, 18, 1525. https://doi.org/10.3390/en18061525

AMA Style

Kang BG, Kwon YR, Hong KW, Kwon SK, Lee HM, Song DK, Jeon JW, Jung DY, Go D, Cho GY. Performance Improvement of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells with a TiO2 Sputtered Gas Diffusion Layer Under Low-Humidity Conditions. Energies. 2025; 18(6):1525. https://doi.org/10.3390/en18061525

Chicago/Turabian Style

Kang, Byung Gyu, Ye Rim Kwon, Ki Won Hong, Sun Ki Kwon, Hyeon Min Lee, Dong Kun Song, Ji Woong Jeon, Do Young Jung, Dohyun Go, and Gu Young Cho. 2025. "Performance Improvement of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells with a TiO2 Sputtered Gas Diffusion Layer Under Low-Humidity Conditions" Energies 18, no. 6: 1525. https://doi.org/10.3390/en18061525

APA Style

Kang, B. G., Kwon, Y. R., Hong, K. W., Kwon, S. K., Lee, H. M., Song, D. K., Jeon, J. W., Jung, D. Y., Go, D., & Cho, G. Y. (2025). Performance Improvement of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells with a TiO2 Sputtered Gas Diffusion Layer Under Low-Humidity Conditions. Energies, 18(6), 1525. https://doi.org/10.3390/en18061525

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