Visualization of Liquid Water Distribution at Interfaces of PEFC by Using Parallel-Beam Soft X-ray Radiography

Liquid water behavior inside polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEFC) is investigated by using X-ray radiography. In the present study, liquid water distribution in regions close to interfaces is accurately visualized by using parallel beam type X-ray microscope and computer image processing. Long interval imaging shows liquid water accumulation at an interface between catalyst layer (CL) and micro porous layer (MPL). It is also clearly shown that volume of liquid water inside MPL is much smaller than that inside gass diffusion layer (GDL). Short interval imaging reveals behavior of temporal development of liquid water accumulation.