title: High-performance Fuel Cell with Stretched Catalyst-Coated Membrane: One-step Formation of Cracked Electrode.
abstract: We have achieved performance enhancement of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) though crack generation on its electrodes. It is the first attempt to enhance the performance of PEMFC by using cracks which are generally considered as defects. The pre-defined, cracked electrode was generated by stretching a catalyst-coated Nafion membrane. With the strain-stress property of the membrane that is unique in the aspect of plastic deformation, membrane electrolyte assembly (MEA) was successfully incorporated into the fuel cell. Cracked electrodes with the variation of strain were investigated and electrochemically evaluated. Remarkably, mechanical stretching of catalyst-coated Nafion membrane led to a decrease in membrane resistance and an improvement in mass transport, which resulted in enhanced device performance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Incheon National University, Incheon, 406-772, Korea.|Global Frontier Center for Multiscale Energy Systems, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-744, Korea.
authors.forename: Sang Moon
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Center for Nanoparticle Research, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Seoul 151-742, Korea.|School of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-742, Korea.
authors.forename: Chi-Yeong
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Ahn
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Engineering, Kangwon National University, Samcheok 245-711, Korea.
authors.forename: Yong-Hun
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.affiliation: Center for Nanoparticle Research, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Seoul 151-742, Korea.|School of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-742, Korea.
authors.forename: Sungjun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Center for Nanoparticle Research, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Seoul 151-742, Korea.|School of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-742, Korea.
authors.forename: Wonchan
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.affiliation: Global Frontier Center for Multiscale Energy Systems, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-744, Korea.|Division of WCU Multiscale Mechanical Design, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, 151-742, Korea.
authors.forename: Segeun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jang
authors.affiliation: Global Frontier Center for Multiscale Energy Systems, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-744, Korea.|Division of WCU Multiscale Mechanical Design, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, 151-742, Korea.
authors.forename: Sungsoo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.affiliation: Global Frontier Center for Multiscale Energy Systems, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-744, Korea.|Division of WCU Multiscale Mechanical Design, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, 151-742, Korea.
authors.forename: Gunhee
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Center for Nanoparticle Research, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Seoul 151-742, Korea.|School of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-742, Korea.
authors.forename: Yung-Eun
authors.initials: YE
authors.lastname: Sung
authors.affiliation: Global Frontier Center for Multiscale Energy Systems, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-744, Korea.|Division of WCU Multiscale Mechanical Design, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, 151-742, Korea.
authors.forename: Mansoo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Choi