# US 12,003,005 B2 · Method of selecting adhesive and power generation cell

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- Number: US 12,003,005 B2
- Document ID: US12003005B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/671,735
- Filed: 2022-02-15
- Published: 2022-09-22
- Granted: 2024-06-04
- Earliest claimed: 2021-03-19
- Assignees: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Takuma Yamawaki; Masaru Oda; Takaaki Shikano; Shohei Toyota
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12003005B2

## CPC

- H01M 8/0284: Organic resins; Organic polymers
- H01M 8/0206: Metals or alloys
- H01M 8/0267: having heating or cooling means, e.g. heaters or coolant flow channels
- H01M 8/0273: with sealing or supporting means in the form of a frame
- H01M 8/0286: Processes for forming seals
- H01M 8/1004: characterised by membrane-electrode assemblies [MEA] (H01M8/12 takes precedence)
- H01M 8/242: comprising framed electrodes or intermediary frame-like gaskets (H01M8/2425, H01M8/244 take precedence)
- H01M 2008/1095: {Fuel cells with polymeric electrolytes}
- Y02E 60/50: 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

## Abstract

A method of selecting a thermoplastic-resin adhesive provided so as to be exposed to a fluid flow path of a power generation cell includes a load application step, an exposing step, a measurement step, and a selecting step. In the load application step, a compressive load is applied to a laminate body in a laminating direction thereof, the laminate body being formed by sandwiching an adhesive between a first resin film and a second resin film. In the exposing step, the laminate body is exposed to an environment heated to a predetermined temperature and humidified to a predetermined humidity. In the measurement step, a flow amount of the adhesive during the exposing step is measured. In the selecting step, the adhesive having the flow amount equal to or less than a predetermined amount is selected as an adhesive used for the power generation cell.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of selecting an adhesive of a thermoplastic resin provided so as to be exposed to a fluid flow path of a power generation cell, the method comprising:
forming a laminate body by sandwiching an adhesive between a first resin film and a second resin film;
applying a compressive load to the laminate body in a laminating direction thereof;
exposing the laminate body to an environment heated to a predetermined temperature and humidified to a predetermined humidity;
measuring a flow amount of the adhesive fluidized by applying compression load thereto and exposing the laminate body thereto; and
selecting the adhesive having the flow amount that is equal to or less than a predetermined amount, as an adhesive used for the power generation cell.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of selecting the adhesive according to claim 1, wherein the power generation cell includes:
a membrane electrode assembly;
a resin frame member attached to an outer peripheral portion of the membrane electrode assembly so as to protrude outward from the outer peripheral portion; and
a separator made of metal and being adjacent to the membrane electrode assembly,
wherein the separator includes:
a fluid flow path through which a fluid flows, the fluid being a reactant gas for power generation or a coolant; and
a seal bead portion that surrounds the fluid flow path to prevent leakage of the fluid, and
wherein the seal bead portion is integrally formed with the separator so as to protrude toward the resin frame member,
the adhesive used for the power generation cell is firmly fixed to one surface of the resin frame member and joins a top portion of the seal bead portion to the resin frame member, and
the predetermined amount is set to a flow amount at which a pressure loss of the fluid due to the adhesive flowing from the resin frame member into the fluid flow path during operation of the power generation cell becomes an allowable upper limit value.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of selecting the adhesive according to claim 1, wherein
a surface size of the second resin film is larger than a surface size of the first resin film,
when forming the laminate body, the adhesive is sandwiched between the first resin film and the second resin film in a state where the adhesive is firmly fixed to one surface of the first resin film, and
when measuring the flow amount, a protruding amount of the adhesive from an outer periphery of the first resin film is measured as the flow amount.