Electrode structure for polymer electrolyte fuel cell and method for manufacturing the same

A method for manufacturing an electrode structure for a polymer electrolyte fuel cell comprising a pair of electrode catalyst layers containing carbon particles supporting platinum particles as a catalyst and a polymer electrolyte membrane sandwiched between the electrode catalyst layers, wherein said polymer electrolyte membrane is made of a sulfonated polyarylene-based polymer, comprising the steps of:

• forming a polymer electrolyte membrane from a solution of a sulfonated polyarylene-based polymer, wherein said sulfonated polyarylene-based polymer is a copolymer represented by formula (2):
• coating a catalyst paste containing catalyst particles in which platinum particles are supported on carbon particles and a polymer electrolyte on a sheet-like support and drying the same to form an electrode catalyst layer;
• and
• thermally transferring to join said electrode catalyst layer to both sides of the polymer electrolyte membrane containing a solvent in the range of 0.5% or less by weight of the total membrane.

A polymer electrolyte fuel cell comprising an electrode structure for a polymer electrolyte fuel cell comprising a pair of electrode catalyst layers containing carbon particles supporting platinum particles as a catalyst and a polymer electrolyte membrane sandwiched between the electrode catalyst layers, wherein

• said polymer electrolyte membrane is made of a sulfonated polyarylene-based polymer, wherein said sulfonated polyarylene-based polymer is a copolymer represented by formula (2):
• said sulfonated polyarylene-based polymer has an ion exchange capacity in the range of 1.7 to 2.3 meq/g;
• and
• said polymer contains a component insoluble in N-methylpyrrolidone in an amount of 70% or less relative to the total amount of the polymer, after said polymer is subjected to heat treatment for exposing the same under a constant temperature atmosphere of 120° C. for 200 hours.

An electrical apparatus comprising a polymer electrolyte fuel cell comprising an electrode structure for a polymer electrolyte fuel cell comprising a pair of electrode catalyst layers containing carbon particles supporting platinum particles as a catalyst and a polymer electrolyte membrane sandwiched by the electrode catalyst layers, wherein

• said polymer electrolyte membrane is made of a sulfonated polyarylene-based polymer, wherein said sulfonated polyarylene-based polymer is a copolymer represented by formula (2):
• said sulfonated polyarylene-based polymer has an ion exchange capacity in the range of 1.7 to 2.3 meq/g;
• and
• said polymer contains a component insoluble in N-methylpyrrolidone in an amount of 70% or less relative to the total amount of the polymer, after said polymer is subjected to heat treatment for exposing the same under a constant temperature atmosphere of 120° C. for 200 hours.

A transport apparatus comprising a polymer electrolyte fuel cell comprising an electrode structure for a polymer electrolyte fuel cell comprising a pair of electrode catalyst layers containing carbon particles supporting platinum particles as a catalyst and a polymer electrolyte membrane sandwiched by the electrode catalyst layers, wherein

• said polymer electrolyte membrane is made of a sulfonated polyarylene-based polymer, wherein said sulfonated polyarylene-based polymer is a copolymer represented by formula (2):
• said sulfonated polyarylene-based polymer has an ion exchange capacity in the range of 1.7 to 2.3 meq/g;
• and
• said polymer contains a component insoluble in N-methylpyrrolidone in an amount of 70% or less relative to the total amount of the polymer, after said polymer is subjected to heat treatment for exposing the same under a constant temperature atmosphere of 120° C. for 200 hours.