Investigating liquid water distribution in Nafion polymer electrolyte membrane with terahertz imaging

Abstract

Nafion polymeric membranes are the most common electrolyte material for proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC), requiring adequate hydration in order to reach high proton conductivity. The relatively high attenuation of terahertz (THz) radiation of liquid water enables a contrast to be observed for inspecting water build-up in Nafion membranes. This paper investigates the feasibility of a compact THz system using a THz camera for liquid water imaging and quantification in a Nafion polymeric membrane.