On the contamination of membrane-electrode assembles of water electrolyzers with solid polymer electrolyte by the elements of titanium alloys

Abstract

The aspects of contamination of membrane-electrode assemblies of water electrolyzers with solid polymer electrolyte by the elements of titanium alloys (Ti and Fe) are considered. These alloys are used as the material for current collectors/gas-diffusion electrodes, bipolar plates, and other elements of electrolysis system. It is shown that titanium is one of the main impurities that contaminate the membrane and electrocatalytic layers of membrane-electrode assembly in the case that deionized water is used as the reagent. The membrane contamination can lead to the degradation of electrolyzer characteristics and its failure