# US 10,480,087 B2 · Membrane electrode assembly and electrochemical hydrogen pump > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,480,087 B2 - Document ID: US10480087B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/709,560 - Filed: 2017-09-20 - Published: 2018-06-28 - Granted: 2019-11-19 - Earliest claimed: 2016-12-26 - Assignees: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Kunihiro Ukai; Yuuichi Yakumaru - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10480087B2 ## CPC - C25B 9/23: comprising ion-exchange membranes in or on which electrode material is embedded - C25B 1/04: by electrolysis of water - C25B 9/73: of the filter-press type - C25B 9/77: having diaphragms - C25B 11/031: Porous electrodes - C25B 11/032: Gas diffusion electrodes - H01M 8/0232: Metals or alloys - H01M 8/0245: in the form of layered or coated products - H01M 8/0247: characterised by the form (characterised by a channel configuration H01M8/0258) - H01M 8/0258: characterised by the configuration of channels, e.g. by the flow field of the reactant or coolant - H01M 8/1004: characterised by membrane-electrode assemblies [MEA] (H01M8/12 takes precedence) - B01D 53/326: {in electrochemical cells} - H01M 50/40: Separators; Membranes; Diaphragms; Spacing elements inside cells - H01M 2008/1095: {Fuel cells with polymeric electrolytes} - Y02E 60/10: Energy storage using batteries - Y02E 60/36: Hydrogen production from non-carbon containing sources, e.g. by water electrolysis - Y02E 60/50: Fuel cells - C25B: ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PROCESSES FOR THE PRODUCTION OF COMPOUNDS OR NON-METALS; APPARATUS THEREFOR (anodic or cathodic protection C23F13/00; single-crystal growth C30B) - H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY - B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28) - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract A membrane electrode assembly includes: an electrolyte membrane that includes a pair of main surfaces; a cathode catalyst layer that is provided to one main surface of the electrolyte membrane; an anode catalyst layer that is provided to the other main surface of the electrolyte membrane; a cathode gas diffusion layer that is provided to the cathode catalyst layer; and an anode gas diffusion layer that is provided to the anode catalyst layer. The anode gas diffusion layer includes a metal steel plate that includes a plurality of vent holes through which gas passes, unevenness is provided to a main surface of the metal steel plate that neighbors the anode catalyst layer, and a difference in a height of the unevenness in a thickness direction of the metal steel plate is less than a thickness of the electrolyte membrane. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A membrane electrode assembly comprising: an electrolyte membrane that includes a pair of main surfaces; a cathode catalyst layer that is provided to one main surface of the electrolyte membrane; an anode catalyst layer that is provided to the other main surface of the electrolyte membrane; a cathode gas diffusion layer that is provided to the cathode catalyst layer; and an anode gas diffusion layer that is provided to the anode catalyst layer, an anode gas diffusion device including: an anode main body that includes an anode gas diffusion layer that is provided to the anode catalyst layer; and an anode gas flow path plate, wherein the anode main body is provided between the anode gas flow path plate and the anode catalyst layer, wherein the anode gas diffusion layer includes a metal steel plate that includes a main surface and a plurality of vent holes through which gas passes, the main surface of the metal steel plate neighboring the anode catalyst layer, unevenness is provided to the main surface of the metal steel plate that neighbors the anode catalyst layer, and a difference in a height of the unevenness in a thickness direction of the metal steel plate is less than a thickness of the electrolyte membrane. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The membrane electrode assembly according to claim 1, wherein a plating layer is provided to the main surface of the metal steel plate that neighbors the anode catalyst layer, and the difference in the height of the unevenness is greater than a membrane thickness of the plating layer. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The membrane electrode assembly according to claim 1, wherein the metal steel plate includes a laminated body of a plurality of metal steel sheets that have a plurality of through holes, and each of the vent holes is configured by interconnection between the through holes of the neighboring metal steel sheets. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The membrane electrode assembly according to claim 3, wherein at least one of the metal steel sheets among the plurality of metal steel sheets includes an interconnection path that interconnects the through holes. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The membrane electrode assembly according to claim 4, wherein the interconnection path interconnects the through holes that are provided to a same metal steel sheet which neighbors the metal steel sheet provided with the interconnection path. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The membrane electrode assembly according to claim 4, wherein the interconnection path interconnects the through holes that are provided to different metal steel sheets which neighbor the metal steel sheet provided with the interconnection path. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The membrane electrode assembly according to claim 1, wherein the anode gas diffusion layer further includes a sintered metal sheet that diffuses gas on a main surface side of the metal steel plate that does not neighbor the anode catalyst layer. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) An electrochemical hydrogen pump comprising: a voltage applicator that applies a voltage between the cathode catalyst layer and the anode catalyst layer; and the membrane electrode assembly according to claim 1. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The electrochemical hydrogen pump according to claim 8, wherein the anode gas diffusion device further includes: an anode end plate. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The electrochemical hydrogen pump according to claim 9, wherein the anode gas flow path plate is provided between the anode end plate and the anode main body, and the metal steel plate is provided between the anode main body and the anode catalyst layer. ### Claim 11 A membrane electrode assembly comprising: an electrolyte membrane that includes a pair of main surfaces; a cathode catalyst layer that is provided to one main surface of the electrolyte membrane; an anode catalyst layer that is provided to the other main surface of the electrolyte membrane; a cathode gas diffusion layer that is provided to the cathode catalyst layer; and an anode gas diffusion device including: an anode main body that includes an anode gas diffusion layer that is provided to the anode catalyst layer; and an anode gas flow path plate, wherein the anode main body is provided between the anode gas flow path plate and the anode catalyst layer, wherein the anode gas diffusion layer includes a metal steel plate that includes a main surface and a plurality of vent holes through which gas passes, the main surface of the metal steel plate neighboring the anode catalyst layer, unevenness is provided to the main surface of the metal steel plate that neighbors the anode catalyst layer, and surface roughness Ra of the main surface of the metal steel plate that neighbors the anode catalyst layer is less than a thickness of the electrolyte membrane. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The membrane electrode assembly according to claim 9, wherein a plating layer is provided to the main surface of the metal steel plate that neighbors the anode catalyst layer, and the difference in the height of the unevenness is greater than a membrane thickness of the plating layer. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The membrane electrode assembly according to claim 9, wherein the metal steel plate includes a laminated body of a plurality of metal steel sheets that have a plurality of through holes, and each of the vent holes is configured by interconnection between the through holes of the neighboring metal steel sheets. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The membrane electrode assembly according to claim 13, wherein at least one of the metal steel sheets among the plurality of metal steel sheets includes an interconnection path that interconnects the through holes. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The membrane electrode assembly according to claim 14, wherein the interconnection path interconnects the through holes that are provided to a same metal steel sheet which neighbors the metal steel sheet provided with the interconnection path. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The membrane electrode assembly according to claim 14, wherein the interconnection path interconnects the through holes that are provided to different metal steel sheets which neighbor the metal steel sheet provided with the interconnection path. ### Claim 17 (depends on 9) The membrane electrode assembly according to claim 9, wherein the anode gas diffusion layer further includes a sintered metal sheet that diffuses gas on a main surface side of the metal steel plate that does not neighbor the anode catalyst layer. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) An electrochemical hydrogen pump comprising: a voltage applicator that applies a voltage between the cathode catalyst layer and the anode catalyst layer; and the membrane electrode assembly according to claim 11. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The electrochemical hydrogen pump according to claim 18, wherein the anode gas diffusion device further includes: an anode end plate. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The electrochemical hydrogen pump according to claim 19, wherein the anode gas flow path plate is provided between the anode end plate and the anode main body, and the metal steel plate is provided between the anode main body and the anode catalyst layer.