Effect of Contamination in the Carbon Catalyst Support on Chemical Degradation of Polymer Electrolyte Membranes in Fuel Cells

Chemical degradation of polymer electrolyte membranes (PEMs) is an important issue related to the durability of polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFCs). Although various studies have been conducted on the chemical degradation of PEMs, the relationship between cathode catalyst materials and chemical degradation of the PEM has not yet been fully understood. Here, we conduct accelerated chemical degradation tests of the PEM and investigate the effect of using cathode electrocatalysts with different carbon support materials. This aims to clarify the effect of the choice of carbon support on the chemical degradation of PEMs. It is confirmed that contaminants in the carbon support material can have a significant impact on chemical degradation of the PEM.