In-line spectroscopic defect detection in catalyst coated membranes

Catalyst coated membranes (CCMs) are the core component of the proton exchange membrane fuel cell and determine the system performance and durability. Although lifetimes of over 5,000 hours under automotive conditions can be routinely achieved, any membrane defects in just one of the CCMs in a stack, can lead to premature failure of the whole stack. For fuel cell vehicles to achieve significant market penetration it will be necessary for any defective MEAs to be identified and removed before being assembled into stacks. This project aims to evalute the application of specific techniques to detect membrane defects inside manufactured CCMs. The feasibility of developing such techniques for application as an in-line measurement technique during continuous CCM manufacture will also be assessed.