Composite membrane, fuel cell, and method for fabricating the composite membranes
AssigneeSanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
InventorsYuko NOWATARI, Takahiro Isono
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Abstract
Electro membrane assemblies are formed respectively in openings provided in a substrate. Each membrane electrode assembly is provided with an electrolyte membrane, an anode catalyst layer, and a cathode catalyst layer. A protective layer is provided on the substrate disposed between the adjacent anode catalyst layers. The other protective layer is provided on the substrate disposed between the adjacent cathode catalyst layers. The protective layer and the other protective layer preferably contain a resin whose number of C—F bonds is greater than that of the substrate.
Claims15
A composite membrane, comprising:
- an insulating substrate having a plurality of openings;
- a membrane electrode assembly, disposed in each of said plurality openings, having an electrolyte membrane containing ionomer, a first catalyst layer provided on one face of the electrolyte membrane, and a second catalyst layer provided on the other face of the electrolyte membrane;
- and
- an insulating protective layer provided, for each membrane electrode assembly, on at least one of a first catalyst layer side of said substrate in between the adjacent first catalyst layers and a second catalyst layer side, disposed counter to the first catalyst layer side, of said substrate in between the adjacent second catalyst layers.
A method for fabricating a composite membrane for a fuel cell, the method comprising:
- (1) forming an electrolyte membrane in each of a plurality of openings provided in an insulating substrate;
- (2) forming an insulating protective layer between the adjacent openings;
- forming a catalyst layer on at least one face of the substrate in such a manner as to lie across the plurality of electrolyte membranes;
- and
- irradiating the catalyst layer, corresponding to a region of the protective layer provided between the adjacent openings, with laser beams so as to be removed after said forming a catalyst layer,
- wherein the order in which said forming (1) and said forming (2) are carried out is arbitrary.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.