Performance variation of flexible polymer electrolyte fuel cell with Ag nanowire current collector under torsion

Abstract

Performance variation of flexible fuel cell based on polydimethylsiloxane coated with Ag nanowires percolation network for current collection was characterized as torsion on it increases. Maximum power densities of flexible fuel cell at no torsion and 25 degree of torsion were 16.8 and 10.9 mW/cm<sup>2</sup>, respectively, showing decreasing tendency of power density as torsion increases. By measuring electrochemical impedances, it was found that cause for decreased electrochemical performance was increased ohmic and faradaic resistances. In addition, inhomogeneous distribution of hydrogen and air in fuel cell caused by torsion contributed to decrease of faradaic resistance and resulting electrical performance. From solid-mechanical model of finite element analysis, generated internal stress by torsion was not severe and the decreased performance was not the effect of contact resistance, which was already reported in our previous study.