Amperometric hydrogen permeation measurement in iron using solid polymer electrolyte fuel cells

Electrolytic hydrogen permeation through iron membranes was measured simultaneously by means of a solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell (SPEFC) and standard aqueous-phase hydrogen oxidation. Two configurations of SPEFC were tested: the first included a separate anode for hydrogen oxidation and the second used the iron membrane surface itself, plated with palladium, as the anode. The results showed a limiting hydrogen permeation flux for the first configuration but not for the second, which yielded about 64% of the correct output.