# US 10,118,374 B2 · Device and method for manufacturing membrane-electrode assembly of fuel cell

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- Number: US 10,118,374 B2
- Document ID: US10118374B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/266,312
- Filed: 2016-09-15
- Published: 2017-09-14
- Granted: 2018-11-06
- Earliest claimed: 2016-03-08
- Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company
- Applicants: Hyundai Motor Company
- Inventors: Byoung Yook Kang
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10118374B2

## CPC

- B32B 39/00: Layout of apparatus or plants, e.g. modular laminating systems
- B05C 5/0245: {for applying liquid or other fluent material to a moving work of indefinite length, e.g. to a moving web (B05C5/0241, B05C5/0254, B05C5/027, B05C5/0283 take precedence)}
- B05C 5/0254: {Coating heads with slot-shaped outlet (B05C5/0283 takes precedence)}
- B32B 3/10: characterised by a discontinuous layer, i.e. formed of separate pieces of material
- B32B 37/0053: {Constructional details of laminating machines comprising rollers; Constructional features of the rollers}
- B32B 38/1833: {Positioning, e.g. registration or centering}
- B32B 41/00: Arrangements for controlling or monitoring lamination processes; Safety arrangements
- H01M 4/881: {Electrolytic membranes}
- H01M 4/8828: {Coating with slurry or ink}
- H01M 4/8882: {Heat treatment, e.g. drying, baking}
- H01M 8/1004: characterised by membrane-electrode assemblies [MEA] (H01M8/12 takes precedence)
- B05C 9/04: for applying liquid or other fluent material to opposite sides of the work
- B32B 37/02: characterised by a sequence of laminating steps, e.g. by adding new layers at consecutive laminating stations
- B32B 38/10: Removing layers, or parts of layers, mechanically or chemically
- B32B 38/164: {Drying}
- B32B 2037/243: {Coating}
- B32B 2307/202: Conductive
- B32B 2309/72: For measuring or regulating, e.g. systems with feedback loops
- B32B 2457/18: Fuel cells
- Y02E 60/50: Fuel cells
- Y02P 70/50: Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product
- B32B: LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
- B05C: APPARATUS FOR APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL (spraying apparatus, atomising apparatus, nozzles B05B; plant for applying liquids or other fluent materials to objects by electrostatic spraying B05B5/08)
- H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
- Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS

## Abstract

A device for manufacturing a membrane-electrode assembly of a fuel cell includes: an electrolyte membrane feeder unwinding an electrolyte membrane and supplying the unwound electrolyte membrane to a preset transfer path; a first catalyst coater installed in the side of the electrolyte membrane feeder and coating a first catalytic material on another surface of the electrolyte membrane every a preset pitch; a film processor installed in a rear side of the first catalyst coater, supplying a second protective film onto a first catalyst electrode layer on the other surface of the electrolyte membrane, and taking off the first protective film from the one surface of the electrolyte membrane; and a second catalyst coater installed in a rear side of the film processor and coating a second catalytic material on the one surface of the electrolyte membrane.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A device for manufacturing a membrane-electrode assembly (MEA) of a fuel cell, the device comprising:
an electrolyte membrane feeder unwinding an electrolyte membrane comprising a front surface, a rear surface, and a first protective film attached to said rear surface and being wound in a roll form, wherein said electrolyte membrane feeder supplies an unwound electrolyte membrane to a preset transfer path;
a first catalyst coater installed in a front side of said electrolyte membrane feeder and coating a first catalytic material on said front surface of the electrolyte membrane at a preset pitch to form a first catalyst electrode layer;
a film processor installed in a rear side of said first catalyst coater, supplying a second protective film onto said first catalyst electrode layer on said front surface of said electrolyte membrane, and taking off said first protective film from said rear surface of said electrolyte membrane; and
a second catalyst coater installed in a rear side of said film processor and coating a second catalytic material on said rear surface of said electrolyte membrane at a preset pitch to form a second catalyst electrode layer.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the electrolyte membrane is transferred along the transfer path by a roll-to-roll method.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, further comprising:
a first drying furnace installed in the middle of the transfer path between the first catalyst coater and the film processing unit, the first drying furnace drying the first catalyst electrode layer.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The device of claim 3, further comprising:
a second drying furnace installed in the middle of the transfer path in a rear side of the second catalyst coater, the second drying furnace drying the first catalyst electrode layer on the front surface of the electrolyte membrane and the second catalyst electrode layer on the rear surface of the electrolyte membrane.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The device of claim 4, further comprising:
an MEA rewinder installed in a rear side of the second drying furnace to rewind an MEA roll sheet with said second protective film attached to the first catalyst electrode layer on said front surface and said second catalyst electrode layer on said rear surface of said electrolyte membrane.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, further comprising:
a position sensor installed in a front side of the second catalyst coater, sensing a position of the first catalyst electrode layer, and outputting a sensed signal to a controller.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The device of claim 6, wherein the controller determines a coating position of the second catalyst coater according to the sensed signal of the position sensor.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the film processor comprises:
a film rewinder installed in one side of the transfer path and taking off the first protective film from the rear surface of the electrolyte membrane to wind the electrolyte membrane in a roll form; and
a film unwinder, which corresponds to the film rewinder, installed in another side of the transfer path and unwinding the second protective film to supply the second protective film onto the first catalyst electrode layer on the front surface of the electrolyte membrane.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The device of claim 8, wherein the film processor forms the film rewinder and the film unwinder in a single cartridge body.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the film rewinder comprises:
a rewinding roller winding the first protective film in a roll form; and
a first guide roller guiding the first protective film, which is peeled from the rear surface of the electrolyte membrane, to the rewinding roller.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the film unwinder comprises:
an unwinding roller unwinding the second protective film wound in a roll form; and
a second guide roller guiding the second protective film onto the first catalyst electrode layer on the front surface of the electrolyte membrane.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the first catalyst coater and the second catalyst coater comprise:
a slot die including a long slot nozzle that is formed along a width direction of the electrolyte membrane.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The device of claim 12, wherein a first support roller, which supports the rear surface of the electrolyte membrane, is installed in a side of the first catalyst coater, and
a second support roller, which supports the front surface of the electrolyte membrane, is installed in a side of the second catalyst coater.

### Claim 14

A method for manufacturing a membrane-electrode assembly (MEA) of a fuel cell, the method comprising:
unwinding, by an electrolyte membrane feeder, an electrolyte membrane, which includes a front surface, a rear surface, and a first protective film attached to said rear surface and is wound in a roll form, and suppling an unwound electrolyte membrane to a preset transfer path;
coating, by a first catalyst coater, a first catalytic material on said front surface of said electrolyte membrane at a preset pitch to form a first catalyst electrode layer;
supplying, by a film processor, a second protective film onto said first catalyst electrode layer on said front surface of said electrolyte membrane and taking off the first protective film from said rear surface of said electrolyte membrane; and
coating, by a second catalyst coater, a second catalytic material on said rear surface of said electrolyte membrane at a preset pitch to form a second catalyst electrode layer.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein, in a process in which the electrolyte membrane is transferred along the transfer path by a roll-to-roll process, the first catalytic material is coated on the front surface of the electrolyte membrane by the first catalyst coater in a state in which the first protective film is attached to the rear surface of the electrolyte membrane, and
the second catalytic material is coated on the rear surface of the electrolyte membrane by the second catalyst coater in a state in which the second protective film is attached to the front surface of the electrolyte membrane.

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein a first drying furnace passes the electrolyte membrane and dries the first catalyst electrode layer on the front surface of the electrolyte membrane.

### Claim 17 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein a position of the first catalyst electrode layer on the other surface of the electrolyte membrane is sensed by a position sensor, and
wherein a sensed signal is outputted to a controller.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, wherein a coating position of the second catalyst coater is adjusted according to the sensed signal of the position sensor by the controller.

### Claim 19 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein a second drying furnace passes the electrolyte membrane and dries the first catalyst electrode layer on the front surface of the electrolyte membrane and a second catalyst electrode layer on the rear surface of the electrolyte membrane.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The method of claim 19, wherein the second drying furnace passes an MEA roll sheet in which the first catalyst electrode layer on the second protective film attached to the first catalyst electrode layer on said front surface and said second catalyst electrode layer on said rear surface of said electrolyte membrane, and
the MEA roll sheet is wound in a roll form by an MEA rewinder.