Manufacturing method for fuel cell

A manufacturing method for a fuel cell, the manufacturing method comprising:

• preparing a membrane electrode gas diffusion layer assembly in which a catalyst layer and a gas diffusion layer are formed on each face of an electrolyte membrane such that a peripheral region of one of the faces of the electrolyte membrane is exposed;
• preparing a frame-shaped support frame having an electrical insulating property and an ultraviolet permeability, the support frame being larger in outer peripheral shape than the electrolyte membrane, the support frame being smaller in inner peripheral shape than the electrolyte membrane;
• preparing first and second separators that are larger in outer peripheral shape than the membrane electrode gas diffusion layer assembly;
• bonding the membrane electrode gas diffusion layer assembly and the support frame to each other by bringing the peripheral region of the electrolyte membrane and an inner peripheral side of a first face of the support frame into contact with each other via a first ultraviolet curable adhesive and then irradiating ultraviolet light to the first ultraviolet curable adhesive from a second face of the support frame across from the first face;
• bonding the first and second separators to each other by welding;
• after the membrane electrode gas diffusion layer assembly and the support frame are bonded to each other and after the first and second separators are bonded to each other, bonding the support frame and the first separator to each other by bringing the second face of the support frame and the first separator into contact with each other via a second ultraviolet curable adhesive located outside an outer periphery of the membrane electrode gas diffusion layer assembly and then irradiating ultraviolet light to the second ultraviolet curable adhesive from the first face of the support frame at a portion outside the outer periphery of the membrane electrode gas diffusion layer assembly;
• preparing a plurality of assemblies in which the support frame, the membrane electrode gas diffusion layer assembly and the first and second separators are bonded to each other;
• and
• stacking the plurality of assemblies on top of each other in the same orientation,
• wherein the support frame has a plurality of holes, a plurality of first protrusions, and a second protrusion, the first protrusions and the second protrusion are elastic, reactant gas or refrigerant flows through the holes, the first protrusions and the second protrusion are formed on the first face such that one of the first protrusions surrounds one of the holes and the second protrusion surrounds the membrane electrode gas diffusion layer assembly,
• the first separator has a communication hole that communicates with the hole, the second separator has a communication hole that communicates with the hole, and in stacking the plurality of assemblies, the first protrusions, and the second protrusion are compressed by the second separator of an adjacent assembly that is one of the plurality of assemblies.

A manufacturing method for a fuel cell, the manufacturing method comprising:

• preparing a membrane electrode gas diffusion layer assembly in which a catalyst layer and a gas diffusion layer are formed on each face of an electrolyte membrane such that a peripheral region of one of the faces of the electrolyte membrane is exposed;
• preparing a frame-shaped support frame having an electrical insulating property and an ultraviolet permeability, the support frame being larger in outer peripheral shape than the electrolyte membrane, the support frame being smaller in inner peripheral shape than the electrolyte membrane;
• preparing a second separator that is larger in outer peripheral shape than the membrane electrode gas diffusion layer assembly;
• preparing a first separator that is larger in outer peripheral shape than the membrane electrode gas diffusion layer assembly;
• bonding the membrane electrode gas diffusion layer assembly and the support frame to each other by bringing the peripheral region of the electrolyte membrane and an inner peripheral side of a first face of the support frame into contact with each other via a first ultraviolet curable adhesive and then irradiating ultraviolet light to the first ultraviolet curable adhesive from a second face of the support frame across from the first face;
• after the membrane electrode gas diffusion layer assembly and the support frame are bonded to each other, bonding the support frame and the first separator to each other by bringing the second face of the support frame and the first separator into contact with each other via a second ultraviolet curable adhesive located outside an outer periphery of the membrane electrode gas diffusion layer assembly and then irradiating ultraviolet light to the second ultraviolet curable adhesive from the first face of the support frame at a portion outside the outer periphery of the membrane electrode gas diffusion layer assembly;
• preparing a plurality of assemblies in which the support frame, the membrane electrode gas diffusion layer assembly and the first separator are bonded to each other;
• and
• stacking the plurality of assemblies on top of each other in the same orientation,
• wherein the support frame has a plurality of holes, a plurality of first protrusions, and a second protrusion, the first protrusions and the second protrusion are elastic, reactant gas or refrigerant flows through the holes, the first protrusions and the second protrusion are formed on the first face such that one of the first protrusions surrounds one of the holes and the second protrusion surrounds the membrane electrode gas diffusion layer assembly,
• the first separator has a communication hole that communicates with the hole,
• the second separator has a communication hole that communicates with the hole, and
• in alternately stacking the plurality of assemblies and the plurality of second separators, the first protrusions and the second protrusion are compressed by the adjacent second separator.