Abstract
   Anion Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells (AEMFCs) offer the promise of utilizing non-noble catalysts and cost-effective materials like stainless-steel plates, due to their alkaline environment and fast ORR kinetics. Nevertheless, water management within AEMFCs presents a complex challenge, particularly at high current densities where anode flooding and cathode drying can occur. Our research targets these issues, evaluating transport limitations through evaluating transport resistance and examining the effects of channel design, relative humidity (RH) and reactant concentrations. The results indicate that the AEMFC performance is the most sensitive to RH followed by hydrogen concentration.
   In Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFCs) research, a systematic study of the effect of membrane thickness on obtaining robust and reliable limiting current measurements is performed. In addition, we further study the interaction between membrane thickness and cell temperature, asymmetric pressure and relative humidity and their effects on limiting current results. Our findings reveal a significant dependence of membrane thickness on oxygen transport properties as determined by limiting current experiments – a relationship previously unexplored. It is also found that cell operating conditions, particularly RH, critically influence the reliability of the limiting current measurements.
   Our findings in both AEMFCs and PEMFCs are crucial for advancing fuel cell technology towards energy sustainability.

Biography
   Originally from Dhaka, Bangladesh, Mrittunjoy Sarker earned his B.Sc. in ME from KUET, Bangladesh in 2014. He began his Ph.D. at the Thermal & Electrochemical Energy Laboratory (TEEL) in the Fall of 2017, under the esteemed guidance of Professor Po-Ya Abel Chuang. Specializing in fuel cell testing and diagnostics, Mrittunjoy has contributed significant insights through his research, particularly on evaluating oxygen transport resistance (OTR) in various fuel cell components, enhancing cell durability, and conducting sensitivity analyses under various operating conditions. Since January 2024, he has been advancing the field as a Research Scientist at the Honda Research Institute in San Jose, CA.