Impact of cyclic mechanical stress on the electrical contact resistance between gas diffusion layer and bipolar plates in Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells

WHEC 2018, 22nd edition of the WORLD HYDROGEN ENERGY CONFERENCE, Rio de Janeiro, BRESIL, 17-/06/2018 - 22/06/2018; and collisions) and the mechanical clamping stress applied during the stack assembly. The internal stresses come from the shrinking and the swelling of the membrane caused by water content and the difference between the thermal expansion coefficients of the cell components. These mechanical stresses have an impact on the global fuel cell's performance and one of the most sensitive cell's components to this pressure is the Gas Diffusion Layer (GDL). This layer, assembled with the membrane electrode assembly, provides the reactant gases, evacuates the produced heat and …