Fuel cell membrane electrode assembly with sealing surfaces
Assignee3M Innovative Properties Company
InventorsDavid Wald, Jimmy Le, Michael Yandrasits, Paul Boucher
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Abstract
The present invention provides a method of making a gasketed fuel cell membrane electrode assembly by simultaneously binding together the parts of the MEA, impregnating uncured elastomeric gasket material into the outer edge portions of each fluid transport layer, and substantially curing the uncured elastomeric gasket material so as to form anode-side and cathode-side gaskets. In order to form a raised-ridge microstructured contact pattern on the contact face of each gasket, patterning plates bearing a negative relief of a raised-ridge microstructured contact pattern may be positioned between the press platens and the uncured elastomeric gasket material.
Claims12
A method of making a gasketed fuel cell membrane electrode assembly comprising:
- a) a polymer electrolyte membrane having an anode face with an outer edge portion, a cathode face with an outer edge portion, and an outer perimeter;
- b) a layer of anode catalyst material in contact with at least a portion of the anode face of said polymer electrolyte membrane;
- c) a layer of cathode catalyst material in contact with at least a portion of the cathode face of said polymer electrolyte membrane;
- d) an anode-side fluid transport layer having an outer edge portion, said anode-side fluid transport layer being in contact with said layer of anode catalyst material, said anode-side fluid transport layer not extending over the outer edge portion of the anode side of said polymer electrolyte membrane;
- e) a cathode-side fluid transport layer having an outer edge portion, said cathode-side fluid transport layer being in contact with said layer of cathode catalyst material, said cathode-side fluid transport layer not extending over the outer edge portion of the cathode side of said polymer electrolyte membrane;
- f) an anode-side gasket comprising an elastomeric gasket material extending over the outer edge portion of the anode side of said polymer electrolyte membrane, said anode-side gasket having a contact face and an outer perimeter;
- and
- g) a cathode-side gasket comprising an elastomeric gasket material extending over the outer edge portion of the cathode side of said polymer electrolyte membrane, said cathode-side gasket having a contact face and an outer perimeter;
- wherein the elastomeric material of each gasket is impregnated into the outer edge portions of the respective fluid transport layer;
- which comprises the steps of:
- i) positioning between platens of a press:
- 1) an anode-side fluid transport layer,
- 2) a layer of anode catalyst material,
- 3) a polymer electrolyte membrane having an anode face with an outer edge portion and a cathode face with an outer edge portion,
- 4) a layer of cathode catalyst material, and
- 5) a cathode-side fluid transport layer;
- ii) applying an uncured elastomeric gasket material to the outer edge portion of the anode side of said polymer electrolyte membrane,
- iii) applying an uncured elastomeric gasket material to the outer edge portion of the cathode side of said polymer electrolyte membrane,
- iv) applying heat and pressure so as to simultaneously:
- 1) bind together parts i)1), i)2), i)3), i)4), i)5);
- 2) impregnate said uncured elastomeric gasket material into the outer edge portions of each fluid transport layer;
- and
- 3) substantially cure said uncured elastomeric gasket material so as to form anode-side and cathode-side gaskets.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.