Long-Term Durability Projection of PEMFC Electrodes Under Non-Accelerated Conditions

Mathematical modeling of performance and durability plays a central role in developing electrochemical devices, where complex trade-offs between functionality, longevity, and cost are frequently done. To shorten learning cycles when developing a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) to last tens of thousands of hours, accelerated stress tests (ASTs) are commonly used. However, this can mischaracterize degradation mechanisms leading to unpreferred outcomes. In this work, we investigate platinum (Pt) surface area loss and carbon support degradation under non-accelerated, realistic operating conditions. Leveraging a unique dataset spanning thousands of hours of durability testing, we developed semi-empirical models to project the operational lifespans of both Pt and carbon components. The models were then applied to evaluate the viability of PEMFCs across a diverse range of potential fuel cell applications.