Repetitive bending test of membrane electrode assembly for bendable polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell

[Display omitted] •The MEAs with carbon paper and carbon cloth were characterized as it is subject to repetitive bending.•The MEA with carbon paper exhibited significant performance degradation after repetitive bending.•The performance degradation in the MEA with carbon paper resulted from damaged components by cracks and fold lines.•The MEA with carbon cloth showed stable performance with good bending durability. Membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) with carbon paper and cloth for bendable polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell were characterized as it is subject to repetitive bending. The performance of the MEA with carbon paper was decreased significantly while the MEA with carbon cloth remained constant after repetitive bending. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy revealed ohmic and charge transfer resistances of the MEA with carbon paper were increased by repetitive bending. Such performance degradation is due to physically observed damages in carbon paper and its detachment from the MEA, which was not in the MEA with carbon cloth due to its intrinsic flexibility.