Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell Performance and Contamination Dynamics
Summary
Proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) convert hydrogen and oxygen into electrical energy with water as the only by-product. Their performance hinges on efficient proton transport through a hydrated polymer electrolyte and rapid electrochemical reactions at the catalyst layers. However, trace impurities in the hydrogen feed—most notably carbon monoxide, nitrogen and sulphur species—can adsorb onto the platinum catalyst, inhibiting active sites and causing voltage loss or irreversible damage. Water management within the membrane electrode assembly is also critical: insufficient hydration raises membrane resistance, while flooding impedes gas transport. The interaction between contaminant adsorption, catalyst degradation and local humidity dictates both instantaneous performance and long-term durability. Recent advances in operando diagnostics, modelling of mass transport and targeted mitigation strategies are illuminating the spatiotemporal dynamics of poisoning and guiding improvements in membrane materials, catalyst design and system control to ensure stable operation under real-world hydrogen quality conditions.
Research from Nature Portfolio
No recent Nature Portfolio content available.
Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell Performance and Contamination Dynamics publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in proton exchange membrane fuel cell performance and contamination dynamics across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Proton exchange membrane (PEM): A hydrated polymer electrolyte that conducts protons from anode to cathode while blocking electrons and gases.
Membrane electrode assembly (MEA): The core structure comprising the PEM, catalyst layers and gas diffusion media where electrochemical reactions occur.
Carbon monoxide poisoning: The reversible or irreversible adsorption of CO on platinum catalyst sites, reducing active surface area and cell voltage.
Overpotential: The extra voltage required beyond the thermodynamic potential to drive electrochemical reactions, often increased by contamination or mass-transport losses.
Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS): A diagnostic technique measuring frequency-dependent resistance and capacitance to resolve kinetic and transport phenomena in fuel cells.
References
- Effect of Carbon Monoxide on Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cell Performance with a Hydrogen Circulation System. Journal of The Electrochemical Society (2020).
- Operando characterisation of the impact of carbon monoxide on PEMFC performance using isotopic labelling and gas analysis. Journal of Power Sources Advances (2020).
- Evolution and distribution of the anode overpotential and its oscillations in a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell exposed to carbon monoxide. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy (2023).
About these summaries
This Nature Research Intelligence Topic summary is created with the cited references and a large language model. We take care to ground generated text with facts, and have systems in place to gain human feedback on the overall quality of the process in line with our AI principles. We strive to create accurate and useful summaries for people unfamiliar with the research topic and that supports this goal. These pages are a beta release and will be updated as we learn how best to help people gain value from a research topic summary.
Turn complex research questions into confident strategic decisions
When you're under pressure to set direction, justify investment, or understand your competitive position, you need more than raw data — you need trusted insights you can act on.
Benchmark your performance against global peers using robust, methodologically sound analysis.
Combine quantitative metrics with qualitative expert insight to uncover strengths, gaps and emerging opportunities.
Gain tailored, decision-ready recommendations aligned to your strategic priorities.
Talk to us to learn more about our data dashboards and bespoke strategy reports.
Grow research skills, confidence and careers with training built for every stage of the research lifecycle.
Developed with Nature Portfolio journal Editors and internationally renowned experts. Discover three ways to learn:
Self-paced, online courses in convenient bite-sized units, covering key skills across scientific writing, publishing, grant writing, data analysis, and more.
Expert trainer-led workshops with hands-on exercises and real-time feedback across core research skills, delivered via interactive group sessions.
Editor-led workshops combining core principles in writing and publishing, personalised 1:1 feedback from Nature Portfolio Editors and hands-on exercises.
Explore course catalogues and workshop agendas, enquire about the options or request institutional pricing.