Anode of direct methanol fuel cell and direct methanol fuel cell employing the same
OwnerJungmin SONG, Yoshihiro Akasaka +1inventors
InventorsJungmin SONG, Yoshihiro Akasaka, Masato Akita
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention provides an anode used in a direct methanol fuel cell and a direct methanol fuel cell employing that anode. They can prevent crossovers of methanol and water and also can control permeation of water, so as to achieve high power output. The anode comprises an anode catalyst layer 20 and a gas-diffusion layer 150, and the gas-diffusion layer comprises a porous sheet support mainly made of carbon. In the porous sheet support, a high packing density area 50 is formed near the surface.
Claims16
An anode used in a direct methanol fuel cell, comprising an anode catalyst layer and a gas-diffusion layer;
- wherein said gas-diffusion layer comprises a porous sheet support mainly made of carbon, said porous sheet support includes a high packing density area having a higher packing density than said porous sheet support by 15% or more, and said high packing density area is formed in said porous sheet support in a depth range of 50 to 200 μm from at least one of the surfaces.
A process for formation of an anode-side gas-diffusion layer used in a direct methanol fuel cell;
- wherein slurry containing water-repelling material and electrically conductive material is cast on at least one of the surfaces of a porous sheet support while said slurry is being applied with pressure to soak into said porous sheet support, so that a high packing density area having a higher packing density than said porous sheet support by 15% or more is formed in said porous sheet support in a depth range of 50 to 200 μm from the surface.
A membrane electrode assembly comprising an anode-side porous gas-diffusion layer, an anode catalyst layer, a proton-conductive membrane, a cathode catalyst layer and a cathode-side gas-diffusion layer, stacked in this order;
- wherein said anode-side porous gas-diffusion layer comprises a porous sheet support mainly made of carbon, said porous sheet support includes a high packing density area having a higher packing density than said porous sheet support by 15% or more, and said high packing density area is formed in said porous sheet support in a depth range of 50 to 200 μm from at least one of the surfaces.
A direct methanol fuel cell comprising an electrolyte membrane, an anode and a cathode;
- wherein said anode comprises an anode catalyst layer and a gas-diffusion layer, said gas-diffusion layer comprises a porous sheet support mainly made of carbon, said porous sheet support includes a high packing density area having a higher packing density than said porous sheet support by 15% or more, and said high packing density area is formed in said porous sheet support in a depth range of 50 to 200 μm from at least one of the surfaces.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.