# US 11,909,084 B2 · Electrolyte membrane with improved ion conductivity and method for manufacturing the same

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- Number: US 11,909,084 B2
- Document ID: US11909084B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/317,352
- Filed: 2021-05-11
- Published: 2022-06-09
- Granted: 2024-02-20
- Earliest claimed: 2020-12-07
- Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company; Kia Corporation
- Applicants: Hyundai Motor Company; Kia Corporation
- Inventors: Byoungsu Kim; Bo Ki Hong; Ji Hoon Yang
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11909084B2

## CPC

- H01M 8/1023: having only carbon, e.g. polyarylenes, polystyrenes or polybutadiene-styrenes
- H01M 8/1051: Non-ion-conducting additives, e.g. stabilisers, SiO2 or ZrO2
- H01M 4/9075: {Catalytic material supported on carriers, e.g. powder carriers (H01M4/8807, H01M4/881, H01M4/8814, H01M4/925 take precedence)}
- H01M 8/1027: having carbon, oxygen and other atoms, e.g. sulfonated polyethersulfones [S-PES]
- H01M 8/1032: having sulfur, e.g. sulfonated-polyethersulfones [S-PES]
- H01M 8/1039: halogenated, e.g. sulfonated polyvinylidene fluorides
- H01M 8/1069: characterised by the manufacturing processes
- H01M 4/926: {on carbon or graphite}
- H01M 2008/1095: {Fuel cells with polymeric electrolytes}
- H01M 2300/0082: Organic polymers
- H01M 2300/0094: in the form of layered products, e.g. coatings
- Y02E 60/50: Fuel cells
- Y02P 70/50: Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product
- 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

Disclosed are an electrolyte membrane with improved ion conductivity and enhanced water transport and a method for manufacturing the same. The electrolyte membrane includes an ion transport layer including an ionomer having proton conductivity and a catalyst dispersed in the ion transport layer, and the catalyst includes a support including a shell configured to have a designated shape and size and to be hollow and at least one hole configured to allow an inner space to communicate with an outside therethrough, and a metal supported on the support.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A membrane-electrode assembly, comprising:
a cathode;
an anode; and
an electrolyte membrane located between cathode and the anode, wherein the electrolyte membrane comprises:
an ion transport layer comprising an ionomer having proton conductivity; and
a catalyst dispersed in the ion transport layer, wherein the catalyst comprises:
a support comprising a shell configured to have a predetermined shape and size; an inner space; and one or more holes configured to allow the inner space to communicate with an outside therethrough; and
a metal supported on the support;
wherein the inner space is filled with the ionomer.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The membrane-electrode assembly of claim 1, wherein the ionomer comprises a perfluorinated sulfonic acid (PFSA) ionomer.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The membrane-electrode assembly of claim 1, wherein the shell comprises one or more selected from the group consisting of carbon, silica, zeolite, and one or more transition metals selected from the group consisting of group 4B elements, group 5B elements, group 6B elements, group 7B elements, and group 8B elements, an oxide thereof, and a carbide thereof.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The membrane-electrode assembly of claim 1, wherein the support has a specific surface area of about 10 m2/g or greater.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The membrane-electrode assembly of claim 1, wherein the inner space has a size of about 2 nm or greater.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The membrane-electrode assembly of claim 1, wherein the metal comprises one or more selected from the group consisting of platinum (Pt), osmium (Os), iridium (Ir), gold (Au), palladium (Pd), silver (Ag), magnesium (Mg), copper (Cu), nickel (Ni), cobalt (Co), titanium (Ti), and iron (Fe).

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The membrane-electrode assembly of claim 1, wherein the catalyst comprises secondary particles formed by agglomerating primary particles comprising the support and the metal.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The membrane-electrode assembly of claim 1, wherein the catalyst is formed in a particle, a sheet and a combination thereof.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The membrane-electrode assembly of claim 1, wherein a content of the catalyst in the electrolyte membrane is about 0.005 mg/cm2 to 1.00 mg/cm2.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The membrane-electrode assembly of claim 1, further comprising an antioxidant dispersed in the ion transport layer, wherein the antioxidant comprises one or more selected from the group consisting of cerium-based antioxidants, manganese-based antioxidants and combinations thereof.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The membrane-electrode assembly of claim 1, further comprising a reinforced layer impregnated with an ionomer, wherein the ion transport layer is provided on at least one surface of the reinforced layer.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The membrane-electrode assembly of claim 11, wherein the ion transport layer is provided on each of both surfaces of the reinforced layer, and the catalyst is dispersed in at least one of the ion transport layers provided on the surfaces of the reinforced layer.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The membrane-electrode assembly of claim 11, wherein the ion transport layer is provided in multiple layers, and the catalyst is dispersed in at least one of the ion transport layers.

### Claim 14

A method for manufacturing a membrane-electrode assembly, comprising:
producing an electrolyte membrane; and
bonding a cathode and an anode to the electrolyte membrane;
wherein producing the electrolyte membrane comprises:
preparing a solution comprising a catalyst and an ionomer; and
forming an ion transport layer by applying the solution,
wherein the catalyst comprises:
a support comprising a shell configured to have a predetermined shape and size; an inner space; and one or more holes configured to allow the inner space to communicate with an outside therethrough; and
a metal supported on the support;
wherein the inner space is filled with the ionomer.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein the catalyst comprises secondary particles formed by agglomerating primary particles comprising the support and the metal.

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein the inner space has a size of about 2 nm or greater.

### Claim 17 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein the preparing the solution comprises:
mixing the catalyst with the ionomer;
preparing a catalyst complex powder by drying a mixture of the catalyst and the ionomer such that the inner space is filled with the ionomer; and
preparing the solution by putting the catalyst complex powder together with the ionomer into a solvent.

### Claim 18 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein the solution further comprises an antioxidant comprising at one or more selected from the group consisting of cerium-based antioxidants, and manganese-based antioxidants.

### Claim 19 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein the ion transport layer is formed by applying the solution to at least one surface of a reinforced layer impregnated with an ionomer.