The laboratory is equipped with apt tools to develop and characterise materials and components for PEFC. The following equipment is available in the laboratory:
Development of basic components:
- Ink deposition through manual spray system to realise electrodes;
- Ink deposition through manual spray system to realise electrodes;
- thermocontrolled digital hydraulic press;
- ultrasonic cleaning baths;
- air circulating heater for thermal treatments related to the preparation of electrodes and membrane electrode assemblies (MEA) having a surface of up to 400 cm2;
- laser precision cutting system;
- Nikon SMZ1500 optical microscope;
- Gas chromatograph to determine the degree of cells/stacks feed gas
- volumetric analysis system with Sievert’s method for the characterisation in terms of gas adsorption-desorption, kinetics and reversible cycles on solid materials for hydrogen storage.
Cell configuration study
- Numerical controlled milling machine for manufacturing process and cooling plates for single cells and stacks;
- station for the ionic conductivity measurement connected to a proton exchange membrane commercial cell;
- test cells (5-200 cm2), mini-stack (up to 1kW) and test stations up to 5kWW with operating potential between 25 and 150°C, pressures between 1 and 6 bar for the electrochemical characterisation of components for PEFC (I-V curves, durability, stability, and degradation tests, and impedance measurements EIS, cyclic voltammetry measurements CV). In particular, the laboratory has three test stations Fuel Cells Technologies for the characterisation of components in single cell, a test station for the characterisation of components in electrochemical hydrogen compressor (EHC) configuration, and a Lynntech test station for the characterisation of stacks up to 5kW.
