# US 10,873,097 B2 · Electrode for fuel cell, membrane electrode complex body for fuel cell, and fuel cell > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,873,097 B2 - Document ID: US10873097B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/052,038 - Filed: 2016-02-24 - Published: 2016-09-29 - Granted: 2020-12-22 - Earliest claimed: 2015-03-25 - Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba - Applicants: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba - Inventors: Tianyi Yang; Wu Mei; Taishi Fukazawa - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10873097B2 ## CPC - H01M 8/04291: Arrangements for managing water in solid electrolyte fuel cell systems (H01M8/04119 takes precedence) - H01M 4/8605: {Porous electrodes} - H01M 4/8663: {Selection of inactive substances as ingredients for catalytic active masses, e.g. binders, fillers} - H01M 4/9041: {Metals or alloys (H01M4/92 takes precedence)} - H01M 8/1004: characterised by membrane-electrode assemblies [MEA] (H01M8/12 takes precedence) - H01M 2008/1095: {Fuel cells with polymeric electrolytes} - H01M 2250/20: Fuel cells in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane - Y02E 60/50: Fuel cells - Y02T 90/40: Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells - 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 - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract An electrode for a fuel cell according to an embodiment of an embodiment includes: a catalyst layer having a noble metal catalyst unit that has a porous structure or a layer-by-layer structure including void layers and a hydrophilic material; a porous water management layer arranged adjacent to the catalyst layer and including a hydrophilic material and a conductive material; and a gas diffusion layer arranged adjacent to the porous water management layer, where a size of the noble metal catalyst unit is equal to or more than 0.05 μm and equal to or less than 2 μm, the porosity of the porous water management layer is equal to or more than 30 vol % and equal to or less than 85 vol %, and the hydrophilicity thereof is equal to or more than 0.05 and equal to or less than 1. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An electrode for a fuel cell comprising: a catalyst layer having a hydrophilic material and a noble metal catalyst unit that has a porous structure or a layer-by-layer structure including void layers; a porous water management layer arranged adjacent to the catalyst layer and including the hydrophilic material and a conductive material; and a gas diffusion layer arranged adjacent to the porous water management layer, wherein a size of the noble metal catalyst unit is equal to or more than 0.05 μm and equal to or less than 2 μm, the porosity of the porous water management layer is equal to or more than 30 vol % and equal to or less than 85 vol %, and the hydrophilicity of the porous water management layer is equal to or more than 0.05 and equal to or less than 0.4. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The electrode for the fuel cell according to claim 1, wherein a thickness of the porous water management layer is equal to or more than 1 μm and equal to or less than 10 μm. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The electrode for the fuel cell according to claim 1, wherein the hydrophilic material of the catalyst layer is a hydrophilic polymer. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The electrode for the fuel cell according to claim 3, wherein the hydrophilic polymer is an ionomer having ion conduction property. ### Claim 5 A membrane electrode assembly for a fuel cell comprising: a first electrode capable of operating as an anode; a separator arranged adjacent to the first electrode; and a second electrode arranged adjacent to the separator and capable of operating as a cathode, wherein at least one of the first and second electrodes includes: a catalyst layer having a hydrophilic material and a noble metal catalyst unit that has a porous structure or a layer-by-layer structure including void layers, the noble metal catalyst unit having a size which is equal to or more than 0.05 μm and equal to or less than 2 μm; a porous water management layer arranged adjacent to the catalyst layer and including the hydrophilic material and a conductive material, wherein the porosity of the porous water management layer is equal to or more than 30 vol % and equal to or less than 85 vol %, and the hydrophilicity of the porous water management layer is equal to or more than 0.05 and equal to or less than 0.4; and a gas diffusion layer arranged adjacent to the porous water management layer. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The membrane electrode assembly for the fuel cell according to claim 5, wherein a thickness of the porous water management layer is equal to or more than 1 μm and equal to or less than 10 μm. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The membrane electrode assembly for the fuel cell according to claim 5, wherein the hydrophilic material is a hydrophilic polymer. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The membrane electrode assembly for the fuel cell according to claim 7, wherein the hydrophilic polymer is an ionomer having ion conduction property. ### Claim 9 A fuel cell comprising: a first electrode capable of operating as an anode; a fuel supply flow field in which fuel is supplied to the first electrode; an anode separator arranged adjacent to the first electrode; a second electrode arranged adjacent to a cathode separator and capable of operating as a cathode; and an oxidizing agent gas supply flow field in which oxidizing agent is supplied to the second electrode, wherein at least one of the first and second electrodes includes: a catalyst layer having a hydrophilic material and a noble metal catalyst unit that has a porous structure or a layer-by-layer structure including void layers, the noble metal catalyst unit having a size which is equal to or more than 0.05 μm and equal to or less than 2 μm; a porous water management layer arranged adjacent to the catalyst layer and including the hydrophilic material and a conductive material, wherein the porosity of the porous water management layer is equal to or more than 30 vol % and equal to or less than 85 vol %, and the hydrophilicity of the porous water management layer is equal to or more than 0.05 and equal to or less than 0.4; and a gas diffusion layer arranged adjacent to the porous water management layer. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The fuel cell according to claim 9, wherein a thickness of the porous water management layer is equal to or more than 1 μm and equal to or less than 10 μm. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The fuel cell according to claim 9, wherein the hydrophilic material is a hydrophilic polymer. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The fuel cell according to claim 11, wherein the hydrophilic polymer is an ionomer having ion conduction property. ### Claim 13 An electrode for a fuel cell comprising: a catalyst layer having a hydrophilic material and a noble metal catalyst unit that has a porous structure or a layer-by-layer structure including void layers; a porous water management layer arranged adjacent to the catalyst layer and including the hydrophilic material and a conductive material; and a gas diffusion layer arranged adjacent to the porous water management layer, wherein a size of the noble metal catalyst unit is equal to or more than 0.05 μm and equal to or less than 2 μm, the porosity of the porous water management layer is equal to or more than 30 vol % and equal to or less than 85 vol %, and the hydrophilicity thereof is equal to or more than 0.05 and equal to or less than 0.4, and wherein an overall average thickness of the catalyst layer is 0.05 μm to 3 μm. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The electrode for the fuel cell according to claim 13, wherein a thickness of the porous water management layer is equal to or more than 1 μm and equal to or less than 10 μm. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The electrode for the fuel cell according to claim 13, wherein the hydrophilic material of the catalyst layer is a hydrophilic polymer. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The electrode for the fuel cell according to claim 15, wherein the hydrophilic polymer is an ionomer having ion conduction property. ### Claim 17 A fuel cell comprising: a first electrode capable of operating as an anode; a second electrode capable of operating as a cathode; a separator disposed adjacent between the first electrode and the second electrode, and in which there is a fuel supply flow field adjacent to the first electrode; and an oxidant gas supply flow field adjacent to the second electrode; wherein at least one of the first and second electrodes includes: a catalyst layer having a hydrophilic material and a noble metal catalyst unit that has a porous structure or a layer-by-layer structure including void layers, the noble metal catalyst unit having a size which is equal to or more than 0.05 μm and equal to or less than 2 μm; a porous water management layer arranged adjacent to the catalyst layer and including the hydrophilic material and a conductive material, wherein the porosity of the porous water management layer is equal to or more than 30 vol % and equal to or less than 85 vol %, and the hydrophilicity of the porous water management layer is equal to or more than 0.05 and equal to or less than 0.4; and a gas diffusion layer arranged adjacent to the porous water management layer. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The fuel cell according to claim 17, wherein a thickness of the porous water management layer is equal to or more than 1 μm and equal to or less than 10 μm. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The fuel cell according to claim 17, wherein the hydrophilic material is a hydrophilic polymer. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The fuel cell according to claim 19, wherein the hydrophilic polymer is an ionomer having ion conduction property. ### Claim 21 (depends on 1) The electrode for the fuel cell according to claim 1, wherein the noble metal catalyst unit precludes the carbon-based electrically conductive carrier. ### Claim 22 (depends on 1) The electrode for the fuel cell according to claim 1, wherein an overall average thickness of the catalyst layer is 0.05 μm to 3 μm.