The use of pressurized blister specimens to characterize the biaxial strength and durability of proton exchange membranes (PEMs) is proposed, simulating the biaxial stress states that are induced within constrained membranes of operating PEM fuel cells. PEM fuel cell stacks consist of layered structures containing the catalyzed PEMs that are surrounded by gas diffusion media and clamped between bipolar plates. The surfaces of the bipolar plates are typically grooved with flow channels to facilitate distribution of the reactant gases and water by-product. The channels are often on the order of a few millimeters across, leaving the sandwiched layers tightly constrained by the remaining lands of the bipolar plates, preventing in-plane strains. The hydrophilic PEMs expand and contract significantly as the internal humidity, and to a lesser extent, temperature varies during fuel cell operation. These dimensional changes induce a significant biaxial stress state within the confined membranes that are believed to contribute to pinhole formation and membrane failure. Pressurized blister tests offer a number of advantages for evaluating the biaxial strength to bursting or to detectable leaking. Results are presented for samples of three commercial membranes that were tested at and subjected to a pressure that was ramped to burst. The bursting pressures exhibit significant time dependence that is consistent with failure of viscoelastic materials. Rupture stresses, estimated with the classic Hencky’s solution for pressurized membranes in conjunction with a quasielastic estimation, are shown to be quite consistent for a range of blister diameters tested. The technique shows considerable promise not only for measuring biaxial burst strength but also for measuring constitutive properties, creep to rupture, and cyclic fatigue damage. Because the tests are easily amenable to leak detection, pressurized blister tests offer the potential for characterizing localized damage events that would not be detectable in more commonly used uniaxial strength tests. As such, this specimen configuration is expected to become a useful tool in characterizing mechanical integrity of proton exchange membranes.
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e-mail: dillard@vt.edu
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August 2009
This article was originally published in
Journal of Fuel Cell Science and Technology
Research Papers
On the Use of Pressure-Loaded Blister Tests to Characterize the Strength and Durability of Proton Exchange Membranes
David A. Dillard,
David A. Dillard
Department of Engineering Science and Mechanics,
e-mail: dillard@vt.edu
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
, Blacksburg, VA 24061-0219
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Yongqiang Li,
Yongqiang Li
Department of Engineering Science and Mechanics,
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
, Blacksburg, VA 24061-0219
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Jacob R. Grohs,
Jacob R. Grohs
Department of Engineering Science and Mechanics,
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
, Blacksburg, VA 24061-0219
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Scott W. Case,
Scott W. Case
Department of Engineering Science and Mechanics,
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
, Blacksburg, VA 24061-0219
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Michael W. Ellis,
Michael W. Ellis
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
, Blacksburg, VA 24061-0238
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Yeh-Hung Lai,
Yeh-Hung Lai
Fuel Cell Research Lab, Global R&D,
General Motors Corporation
, Honeoye Falls, NY 14472-0603
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Michael K. Budinski,
Michael K. Budinski
Fuel Cell Research Lab, Global R&D,
General Motors Corporation
, Honeoye Falls, NY 14472-0603
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Craig S. Gittleman
Craig S. Gittleman
Fuel Cell Research Lab, Global R&D,
General Motors Corporation
, Honeoye Falls, NY 14472-0603
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David A. Dillard
Department of Engineering Science and Mechanics,
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
, Blacksburg, VA 24061-0219e-mail: dillard@vt.edu
Yongqiang Li
Department of Engineering Science and Mechanics,
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
, Blacksburg, VA 24061-0219
Jacob R. Grohs
Department of Engineering Science and Mechanics,
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
, Blacksburg, VA 24061-0219
Scott W. Case
Department of Engineering Science and Mechanics,
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
, Blacksburg, VA 24061-0219
Michael W. Ellis
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
, Blacksburg, VA 24061-0238
Yeh-Hung Lai
Fuel Cell Research Lab, Global R&D,
General Motors Corporation
, Honeoye Falls, NY 14472-0603
Michael K. Budinski
Fuel Cell Research Lab, Global R&D,
General Motors Corporation
, Honeoye Falls, NY 14472-0603
Craig S. Gittleman
Fuel Cell Research Lab, Global R&D,
General Motors Corporation
, Honeoye Falls, NY 14472-0603J. Fuel Cell Sci. Technol. Aug 2009, 6(3): 031014 (8 pages)
Published Online: May 15, 2009
Article history
Received:
June 26, 2007
Revised:
December 14, 2007
Published:
May 15, 2009
Citation
Dillard, D. A., Li, Y., Grohs, J. R., Case, S. W., Ellis, M. W., Lai, Y., Budinski, M. K., and Gittleman, C. S. (May 15, 2009). "On the Use of Pressure-Loaded Blister Tests to Characterize the Strength and Durability of Proton Exchange Membranes." ASME. J. Fuel Cell Sci. Technol. August 2009; 6(3): 031014. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.3007431
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