High　cost　remains　to　be　one　of　the　primary　obstacles　for　the　commercialization　of　proton　exchange　membrane　fuel　cells　(PEMFCs).　To　simplify　the　fuel　cell　system　and　reduce　cost,　dead-ended　anode　(DEA)　is　widely　used.　However,　water　and　nitrogen　can　accumulate　in　the　dead-ended　anode,　resulting　in　cell　performance　decrease　and　severe　cell　degradation.　Anode　pressure　swing　supply　is　a　new　technology　which　has　been　shown　to　be　effective　in　reducing　local　water　and　nitrogen　accumulation　in　the　anode　channel.　In　this　work,　the　effects　of　pressure　swing　supply　on　fuel　cell　degradation　have　been　experimentally　studied.　Two　sets　of　experiments　on　the　same　fuel　cell　are　conducted,　one　under　conventional　constant　pressure　operation　and　the　other　under　pressure　swing　operation.　Polarization　curves　show　that　pressure　swing　supply　can　significantly　mitigate　cell　degradation　during　DEA　operations.　Electrochemical　characterizations　are　performed　to　study　the　mechanisms　of　mitigations　in　cell　degradation.　The　cyclic　voltammetry　(CV)　and　electrochemical　impedance　spectroscopy　(EIS)　results　show　that　pressure　swing　supply　can　significantly　reduce　electrolyte　membrane　degradation,　but　has　no　significant　mitigation　effect　on　the　cathode　catalyst　degradation　during　DEA　operation.　Further　examinations　of　the　membrane-electrode-assembly　(MEA)　by　scanning　electron　microscope　(SEM)　confirm　the　significant　difference　in　membrane　degradations　since　there　is　a　very　large　difference　in　average　thickness　of　the　membranes　after　the　degradation　tests.　(C)　2017　Hydrogen　Energy　Publications　LLC.　Published　by　Elsevier　Ltd.　All　rights　reserved.