Application of Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy for Fuel Cell Characterization

Kurzfassung

Theory of impedance spectra measured at fuel cells with electrodes changing their state with time e.g. anode surface changing during CO poisoning of PEFC anodes and water flooding of the cathode during “dead end” operation mode of the PEFC are discussed in the presentation. Also first experimental results of locally resolved EIS measured simultaneously on 5 cells of a SOFC stack will be presented and discussed. For the evaluation of the measured impedance spectra a porous electrode model was used. After a brief overview of different porous electrode models used in literature for fitting experimental data the porous electrode model of Göhr will be discussed in detail. This porous electrode model includes different impedance contributions like impedance of the interface porous layer/pore, interface porous layer/electrolyte, interface porous layer/bulk, impedance of the porous layer and impedance of the pores filled by electrolyte.