US 2007/0178354 A1Published application

Membrane electrode assembly with compression control gasket

Assignee3M Innovation Properties Company

InventorsDavid WALD, Michael Yandrasits

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Abstract

A method is provided for making a gasketed fuel cell membrane electrode assembly (MEA) comprising the steps of: i) selecting a fluid transport layer sheet material; ii) selecting a target level of compression Ct % for use of said fluid transport layer sheet material in a fuel cell membrane electrode assembly; iii) measuring the pressure Pt for which the fluid transport layer sheet material achieves compression of Ct %; iv) positioning between the platens of a press a membrane electrode assembly comprising: a) a polymer electrolyte membrane; b) an anode catalyst material; c) a cathode catalyst material; d) an anode-side fluid transport layer comprising the selected fluid transport layer sheet material; and e) a cathode-side fluid transport layer comprising the selected fluid transport layer sheet material; v) depositing a gasket material in the outer edge portions of the anode and cathode faces of the polymer electrolyte membrane; vi) compressing the membrane electrode assembly to a pressing pressure Pp which is between 90% and 110% of Pt; and vii) substantially fixing the gasket material so as to form a gasketed fuel cell membrane electrode assembly. An MEA is provided comprising the layers listed above wherein the average thickness of each gasket Tg under its contact face is between 110% and 90% of {Tf×(100%-Ct %)}, where Tf is the average thickness of the respective same-side fluid transport layer.

Claims40

Dependent claims

A method of making a gasketed fuel cell membrane electrode assembly comprising the steps of:

i) selecting a fluid transport layer sheet material;
ii) selecting Ct % for said fluid transport layer sheet material, wherein C % is compression in thickness of said fluid transport layer sheet material as a percent of uncompressed thickness and Ct % is the target level of C % during use of said fluid transport layer sheet material in a fuel cell membrane electrode assembly;
iii) measuring the pressure Pt for which said fluid transport layer sheet material achieves compression of Ct %;
iv) positioning between the platens of a press a 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) An anode catalyst material in contact with at least a portion of the anode face of said polymer electrolyte membrane;
c) A 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 comprising said fluid transport layer sheet material, 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 comprising said fluid transport layer sheet material, 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;
v) depositing a gasket material in the outer edge portions of the anode and cathode faces of said polymer electrolyte membrane;
vi) compressing said membrane electrode assembly to a pressing pressure Pp which is between 90% and 110% of Pt;
and
vii) substantially fixing said gasket material so as to form a gasketed fuel cell membrane electrode assembly.

10 more elements

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) An anode catalyst material in contact with at least a portion of the anode face of said polymer electrolyte membrane;
c) A 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 comprising a fluid transport layer sheet material, said anode-side fluid transport layer being in contact with said layer of anode catalyst material, said anode-side fluid transport layer not extending to the outer perimeter of said polymer electrolyte membrane;
e) a cathode-side fluid transport layer comprising said fluid transport layer sheet material, said cathode-side fluid transport layer being in contact with said layer of cathode catalyst material, said cathode-side fluid transport layer not extending to the outer perimeter of said polymer electrolyte membrane;
f) an anode-side gasket extending over the outer edge portion of the anode side of said polymer electrolyte membrane, said anode-side gasket having a contact face;
and
g) a cathode-side gasket extending over the outer edge portion of the cathode side of said polymer electrolyte membrane, said cathode-side gasket having a contact face;
wherein said fluid transport layer sheet material is characterized by a target compression Ct %, wherein C % is the reduction in thickness of a material as a percent of uncompressed thickness and Ct % is the target level of C % during use of said fluid transport layer sheet material in a fuel cell membrane electrode assembly;
wherein the average thickness of each gasket Tg under its contact face is between 110% and 90% of {Tf×(100%-Ct %)}, where Tf is the average thickness of the respective same-side fluid transport layer.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 11/696,210Filed 4 Apr 2007
Priority: 17 May 2002
Published: 2 Aug 2007
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification13 codes

H01M 8/0273
Sealing or supporting means around electrodes, matrices or membranes: with sealing or supporting means in the form of a frame
H01M 8/0276
Sealing or supporting means around electrodes, matrices or membranes: sealing means characterised by their form
H01M 8/1007
Fuel cells with solid electrolytes: with both reactants being gaseous or vaporised
H01M 8/0284
Sealing means characterised by their material: organic resins; Organic polymers

Family

Application10/150,473Division · filed 17 May 2002
Application11/696,210Division · filed 4 Apr 2007
US 2003/0215690 A1Published application
US 7,217,471 B2Related patent
US 8,343,682 B2Related patent
US 2007/0178354 A1This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.