The FC-PAD national laboratory partners have unique capabilities for improving fuel cell performance and durability.

These capabilities are available to support collaborations awarded through funding opportunity announcements (FOAs) and through lab partnership agreements established outside of the FOA process.

This list of capabilities is still under development; more information will be added in the near future.

Download a partial list of representative FC-PAD characterization and modeling capabilities.

Capability Component Cross-Cutting Technique
Analytical electron microscopy Catalyst and catalyst support
Electrode and MEA
Membrane and ionomer
Structural and chemical characterization
Imaging and spectroscopy Catalyst and catalyst support
Electrode and MEA
Membrane and ionomer
Structural and chemical characterization
Catalyst-layer degradation Catalyst and catalyst support
Electrode and MEA
Membrane and ionomer
Structural and chemical characterization
Ionomer mapping Catalyst and catalyst support
Electrode and MEA
Membrane and ionomer
 Structural and chemical characterization
Advanced component diagnostics Membrane and ionomer
GDL and cell
Structural and chemical characterization
Bulk and thin-film morphology and properties Membrane and ionomer
GDL and cell
Structural and chemical characterization
X-ray tomography Membrane and ionomer
GDL and cell
Structural and chemical characterization
Transport property measurements Membrane and ionomer
GDL and cell
Structural and chemical characterization
Advanced X-ray techniques Catalyst and catalyst support
Electrode and MEA
Structural and chemical characterization
Performance testing and evaluation
Spectroscopy and scattering: catalyst atomic structure and particle size Catalyst and catalyst support
Electrode and MEA
Structural and chemical characterization
Performance testing and evaluation
Combinatorial activity screening Catalyst and catalyst support
Electrode and MEA
Structural and chemical characterization
Performance testing and evaluation
Electrochemical diagnostics Catalyst and catalyst support
Electrode and MEA
Performance testing and evaluation
Catalyst activity measurement Catalyst and catalyst support
Electrode and MEA
Performance testing and evaluation
Advanced MEA fabrication Catalyst and catalyst support
Electrode and MEA
Performance testing and evaluation
Advanced MEA diagnostics Membrane and ionomer
GDL and cell
Performance testing and evaluation
Performance and durability testing Membrane and ionomer
GDL and cell
Performance testing and evaluation
Long-term durability testing Membrane and ionomer
GDL and cell
Performance testing and evaluation
Component-specific degradation testing Membrane and ionomer
GDL and cell
Performance testing and evaluation
Electrode simulations Catalyst and catalyst support
Electrode and MEA
Modeling and theory
3-D electrode reconstruction and transport Catalyst and catalyst support
Electrode and MEA
Modeling and theory
Quantification of various losses Catalyst and catalyst support
Electrode and MEA
Modeling and theory
Multiphysics, multiscale models Membrane and ionomer
GDL and cell
Modeling and theory
Membrane simulations Membrane and ionomer
GDL and cell
Modeling and theory
Water and thermal management optimization Membrane and ionomer
GDL and cell
Modeling and theory