Open circuit voltage profiling as diagnostic tool during stack lifetime testing

A 10-cell Mk 9 stack was characterized using current/voltage mapping during automotive drive cycle testing. A minimally invasive current mapping technique was used to determine localized polarization curves which together with open circuit voltage (OCV) profile measurements provide useful information about crossover leak formation and location. Through a systematic variation of reactant gas pressures it is further possible to distinguish between electrical shorts, diffusive and convective leaks.