Method and use for conditioning fuel cells

Abstract

A method of conditioning a fuel cell having a membrane electrode assembly (MEA) as well as associated use and fuel cell. The MEA comprises a hydrocarbon-based ionomer catalyst layer. The conditioning process include reducing the oxidant supplied to the cathode side of the MEA either via oxygen cutoff and/or via inert gas purging, while maintaining a current or voltage generated by the fuel cell until either a time condition or a voltage condition is met. The conditioning process according to aspects of the present disclosure is advantageous not only because it provides a solution for the type of MEA that is difficult to condition using conventional approaches, but also because it can activate this type of MEA in an exceptionally short time and at large scale, and allows automated operation to mitigate against human error, both of which can significantly reduce fuel cell manufacturing/operating costs.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.