Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Process model for multilayer slide coating of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells

  • Published:
Journal of Coatings Technology and Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Slide coating is a precision method suitable for depositing multiple liquid-film layers simultaneously. Originally developed in the photographic film industry, it has been deployed for manufacturing of other products that benefit from multilayer coatings. One emerging application is the manufacture of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs), which are used to produce electricity through electrochemical reactions of hydrogen and oxygen gas. The membrane-electrode assembly (MEA), in which key electrochemical reactions occur, consists of three layers that are typically deposited separately in serial fashion and then laminated together to form the three-layer MEA, i.e., three sequential steps of coat and dry. Adapting the process to simultaneous, multilayer slide coating of all three layers will save equipment cost and space while minimizing possible exposure to contaminants during transition between the steps. We are developing a three-layer slide coating model to aid the manufacturing process design of PEMFC. The model accounts for rheology of each layer, which typically exhibit shear thinning behavior. Model predictions are used to investigate simultaneous coatability of catalyst inks and to determine the best layer-by-layer ink selection.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Beguin, AE, “Method of Coating Strip Material.” US Patent 2,681,294, 1954

  2. Buerkin, CK, de Vries, I, Raupp, SM, Scharfer, P, Schabel, W, Groen, P, “Investigation of Interfacial Instabilities with a Two-Layer Slide Coating Process.” J. Coat. Technol. Res., 14 (5) 991–1001 (2017)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Cairncross, RA, Randall Schunk, P, Baer, TA, Rao, RR, Sackinger, PA, “A Finite Element Method for Free Surface Flows of Incompressible Fluids in Three Dimensions. Part I. Boundary Fitted Mesh Motion.” Int. J. Numer. Methods Fluids, 33 (3) 375–403 (2000)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Chen, KS, “Studies of Multilayer Slide Coating and Related Processes.” Ph.D. Thesis, University of Minnesota, 1992. Published by University Microfilms International, Ann Arbor, MI

  5. Christodoulou, KN, Scriven, LE, “Finding Leading Modes of a Viscous Free Surface Flow: An Asymmetric Generalized Eigenproblem.” J. Sci. Comput., 3 (4) 355–406 (1988)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Christodoulou, KN, Scriven, LE, “The Fluid Mechanics of Slide Coating.” J. Fluid Mech., 208 321–354 (1989)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Coreform, “Trelis 15.0: Advanced Meshing for Challenging Simulations.” 2014

  8. Hens, J, Boiy, L, “Operation of the Bead of a Pre-metered Coating Device.” Chem. Eng. Sci., 41 (7) 1827–1831 (1986)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Huh, C, Scriven, LE, “Hydrodynamic Model of Steady Movement of a Solid/Liquid/Fluid Contact Line.” J. Colloid Interface Sci., 35 (1) 85–101 (1971)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Khandavalli, S, Park, JH, Kariuki, NN, Myers, DJ, Stickel, JJ, Hurst, K, Neyerlin, KC, Ulsh, M, Mauger, SA, “Rheological Investigation on the Microstructure of Fuel Cell Catalyst Inks.” ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces, 10 (50) 43610–43622 (2018)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Mercier, JA, Torpey, WA, Russell, TA, “Multiple Coating Apparatus.” US Patent 2,761,419, 1956

  12. Musson, LC, “Two Layer Slot Coating.” Ph.D. Thesis, University of Minnesota, 2001. Published by University Microfilms International, Ann Arbor, MI

  13. Nagashima, K, “Viscocapillary Modeling of Slide Coating Flow.” Ind. Coat. Res., 5 81–106 (2004)

    Google Scholar 

  14. Noakes, CJ, Gaskell, PH, Thompson, HM, Ikin, JB, “Streak-Line Defect Minimization in Multi-layer Slide Coating Systems.” Chem. Eng. Res. Des., 80 (5) 449–463 (2002)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Sackinger, PA, Schunk, PR, Rao, RR, “A Newton–Raphson Pseudo-solid Domain Mapping Technique for Free and Moving Boundary Problems: A Finite Element Implementation.” J. Comput. Phys., 125 (1) 83–103 (1996)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Schunk, PR, Rao, RR, Chen, KS, Labreche, DA, Sun, AC, Hopkins, MM, Moffat, HK, Roach, RA, Hopkins, PL, Notz, PK, Roberts, SA, Sackinger, PA, Subia, SR, Wilkes, ED, Baer, TA, Noble, DR, Secor, RB, “Goma 6.0—A Full-Newton Finite Element Program for Free and Moving Boundary Problems with Coupled Fluid/Solid Momentum, Energy, Mass, and Chemical Species Transport: User’s Guide.” Technical Report, Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (United States), 2013

  17. Tjiptowidjojo, K, Carvalho, MS “Viscocapillary Model of Slide Coating: Effect of Operating Parameters and Range of Validity.” AIChE J., 55 (10) 2491–2505 (2009)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Tjiptowidjojo, K, Carvalho, MS, “Operability Limits of Slide Coating.” Chem. Eng. Sci., 66 (21) 5077–5083 (2011)

  19. Tsuda, T, de Santos, JM, Scriven, LE, “Frequency Response Analysis of Slot Coating.” AIChE J., 56 (9) 2268–2279 (2010)

    CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

Sandia National Laboratories is a multimission laboratory managed and operated by National Technology and Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Honeywell International Inc., for the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration under contract DE-NA0003525. This work was authored in part by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, operated by Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC, for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) under Contract No. DE-AC36-08GO28308. Funding is provided by U.S. Department of Energy Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Advanced Manufacturing Office. The views expressed in the article do not necessarily represent the views of the DOE or the U.S. Government. The U.S. Government retains and the publisher, by accepting the article for publication, acknowledges that the U.S. Government retains a nonexclusive, paid-up, irrevocable, worldwide license to publish or reproduce the published form of this work, or allow others to do so, for U.S. Government purposes.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Micro-Engineered Materials, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, 87131-0001, USA

    Kristianto Tjiptowidjojo & Peter Randall Schunk

  2. Chemistry and Nanoscience Center, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, CO, 80401, USA

    Janghoon Park, Scott A. Mauger & Michael Ulsh

  3. Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM, 87185-0826, USA

    Peter Randall Schunk

Authors
  1. Kristianto Tjiptowidjojo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Janghoon Park
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Scott A. Mauger
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Michael Ulsh
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Peter Randall Schunk
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Kristianto Tjiptowidjojo.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

This paper was presented at the 2020 International Society of Coatings Science and Technology Conference that was held virtually September 20–23, 2020.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Tjiptowidjojo, K., Park, J., Mauger, S.A. et al. Process model for multilayer slide coating of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells. J Coat Technol Res 19, 73–81 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11998-021-00508-7

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11998-021-00508-7

Keywords

Search

Navigation