[10:30] Weekly Online Seminar: Triple-Phase Boundary in PEM Fuel Cell Catalyst Layers. Dr. Peter Berg, UOIT

In PEM fuel cells, the triple-phase boundary (TPB) forms an important part of the catalyst layer microstructure. At the cathode pore level, a mathematical model is developed to describe the TPB between ionomer, air pore and C/Pt particles and its reaction-diffusion processes. One challenging feature of the work is its description of the triple-phase contact point (in 2-D) as a singularity, coupled to proton surface diffusion along the air-C/Pt interface. The model offers an insight into where the oxygen reduction reaction takes place and how the shape of the domain impacts the overall performance of the structure.