Process for the preparation of PBI based membrane electrode assembly (MEA) with improved fuel cell performance and stability

1. A method for the preparation of Membrane Electrode Assembly (MEA) for a high temperature fuel cell comprising:

a. coating of 85 wt % phosphoric acid (H 3 PO 4 ) on an anode and a cathode electrode surfaces to obtain coated electrodes;

b. sandwiching an H 3 PO 4 doped poly-benzimidazole (PBI) membrane having a thickness ranging between 50-60 μm between the two electrodes of step (a) to obtain an assembly;

c. hot pressing the assembly of step (b) to obtain the MEA, and

d. fixing said MEA to a fuel cell fixture,

wherein in-situ current-voltage (I-V) assisted doping of the membrane with phosphoric acid during fuel cell operation reduces the leaching of phosphoric acid from said membrane;

wherein said in-situ current-voltage (I-V) assisted doping comprises:

keeping the cell in open circuit voltage (OCV) for a first time interval of 50 minutes and continuously heating the fixture fixing the fuel cell to a temperature of 120° C.;

dragging a first amount of current for a second time interval; and

periodically dragging a subsequent amount of current until the cell voltage reached 0.6V,

wherein after said cell voltage reaches 0.6 V, the cell is kept at said cell voltage for a time period of 2 hours.

2. The method according to claim 1 , comprising providing a coating of 1-2 ml H 3 PO 4 out on the surface of said anode and said cathode.