Preparation of MEA with the polybenzimidazole membrane for high temperature PEM fuel cell

A polybenzimidazole (PBI)-based catalyst-coated membrane (CCM) as a membrane electrode assembly (MEA) in a high temperature polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cell was fabricated by spraying catalyst ink containing PBI ionomer on both sides of a PBI membrane, which was then soaked in 85% H ₃PO₄ (phosphoric acid, PA). The performance of PA-doped CCM was two times higher than that of a conventional PA-doped catalyst-coated substrate as MEA, which was fabricated by a complex process involving fabricating gas diffusion electrodes and a hot-pressing process. The PA-doped CCM structure showed improved performance under nonhumidification and at 180°C.