A Versatile Setup for Determining Hydrogen and Oxygen Crossover of Electrolyzer Membranes and MEAs

Layout of the gas crossover setup, with the gas flowing from left to right. On the left most side is the gas supply with mass flow controllers (MFC), then gas humidification, measurement cell, pressure control, dehumidification, and lastly gas analysis.

© Forschungszentrum Jülich

In this study, we present a versatile experimental setup designed to quantify gas crossover through membranes and polymers commonly used in PEM electrolyzers. A key feature of the setup is its ability to perform in situ measurements on fully assembled PEM cells, containing complete membrane electrode assemblies. The system also enables characterization of gas permeation through both wet and dry ionomers, as well as various polymers employed in components such as gaskets and tubing. These capabilities are demonstrated through a series of representative measurements that highlight the setup‘s flexibility and potential.

Leander Treutlein, 
Institute of Energy Technologies, Fundamental Electrochemistry (IET-1), Forschungszentrum Jülich

DOI: 10.1002/cite.70031