Scaling-up and characterization of ultralow-loading MEAs made-up by electrospray

A scaling-up process has been successfully developed to elaborate 25 cm2 active area electrodes for proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) with ultra-low platinum loading. By electrospraying catalytic inks (liquid suspensions containing catalytic nanoparticles) porous catalytic layers with 0.01 mgPt cm−2 loading have been spread on conductive substrates (carbon paper) to prepare electrodes for Membrane Electrode Assemblies (MEAs) with Nafion® sheets as polymeric membranes. The performance of these MEAs in single cells has been assessed under different working conditions of pressure, temperature and humidity. The results show equivalent fuel cell performances when compared with the operation of 5 cm2 active area MEAs reported in previous works. In particular, the maximum catalyst utilization (power per gram of platinum in the MEA) delivered by these electrodes, under optimal conditions, reaches the interval 30-35 kW gPt−1.