Reconstruction and analysis of fuel cell gas diffusion layers using fiber spacing rather than pore size data: Questioned validity of widely-used porosity-based thermal conductivity models

The present study clearly demonstrates that the traditional notion that fibrous materials with lower porosity have higher thermal conductivity does not necessary hold. In addition, it is shown that GDLs with the same porosity and the same pore size may have different fiber spacing and thus, distinct properties. It is found that the thermal conductivity models based solely upon porosity can be off by several hundred percent and must be either discarded or used over the narrow range of conditions under which they have been formulated.