Fuel cell and method of manufacturing a fuel cell
AssigneeToyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorTohru Oda
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fuel cell comprises an electrolyte membrane; first and second catalyst layers formed on respective faces of the electrolyte membrane; and first and second reinforcing layers holding therebetween the electrolyte membrane and the first and second catalyst layers, wherein the first catalyst layer and the first reinforcing layer are joined together with a force of not less than a specific joint strength that suppresses expansion and contraction of the electrolyte membrane, and the second catalyst layer and the second reinforcing layer are joined together with a force of less than a specific joint strength that releases a stress due to expansion and contraction of the electrolyte membrane, or the second catalyst layer and the second reinforcing layer are not joined together.
Claims9
A fuel cell, comprising:
- an electrolyte membrane;
- first and second catalyst layers formed on respective faces of the electrolyte membrane;
- and
- first and second reinforcing layers holding therebetween the electrolyte membrane and the first and second catalyst layers, wherein
- the first catalyst layer and the first reinforcing layer are joined together with a force of not less than a specific joint strength that suppresses expansion and contraction of the electrolyte membrane, and
- the second catalyst layer and the second reinforcing layer are joined together with a force of less than a specific joint strength that releases a stress due to expansion and contraction of the electrolyte membrane, or the second catalyst layer and the second reinforcing layer are not joined together.
A method of manufacturing a fuel cell, the method comprising:
- (a) providing an electrolyte membrane;
- (b) forming a first catalyst layer having a resin volume content of not less than 35% on a first face of the electrolyte membrane, while forming a second catalyst layer having a preset resin volume content on a second face of the electrolyte membrane;
- (c) providing a first gas diffusion layer having a resin volume content of not less than 18% and a second gas diffusion layer having a preset resin volume content;
- and
- (d) keeping the first catalyst layer and the first gas diffusion layer together under hot press, and keeping the second catalyst layer and the second gas diffusion layer together under hot press, wherein
- in (b) and (c), the second catalyst layer and the second gas diffusion layer meet at least one of two conditions that the resin volume content of the second catalyst layer is less than 35% and that the resin volume content of the second gas diffusion layer is less than 18%.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.