Ti₂Zr₂O₈ nanotube as an additive in the fuel cell membrane and catalyst layer for improved low humidity operation

The development of high-performance, low-cost and durable membrane electrode assembly (MEA) materials receives significant attention from the fuel cell community. A promising MEA design approach introduces a radical scavenging Ti₂Zr₂O₈ nanotubes additive (TZONT) in the polymer electrolyte membrane and cathode catalyst layer for fuel cells operating under dry conditions is described. The modified MEA operating at 20% relative humidity (RH) showed ~18% increase in the peak power density than its counterpart assembled with only a modified membrane. A fluoride emission rate (FER) analysis reveals that the TZONT additive in the Nafion ionomer protects it from radical attack and, thus, lowers the FER value to about 200-times the commercial Nafion-212 membrane. Finally, we revealed a promising approach to lower the Pt loading in the cathode catalytic layer without compromising its intrinsic activity in a relatively cost-competitive manner.