Enhanced low-humidity performance in a proton exchange membrane fuel cell by the insertion of microcrystalline cellulose between the gas diffusion layer and the anode catalyst layer

The MEA prepared by inserting a microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) hygroscopic layer between the anode catalyst layer and the gas diffusion layer exhibits high and stable self-humidification performance at cell temperature of 70 °C and 30% relative humidity, the current density at 0.6 V can be up to 1100 mA cm−2 and stable at 1000 mA cm−2 after 24 h continuous running, with the degradation of only 9.1%, which is much better than that of the blank MEA without insertion.177