US 2026/0031371 A1Published application

Integrated membrane assembly for an electrochemical cell and method of making the same

AssigneeNew Hydrogen IP, LLC

InventorFan YAO

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

An electrochemical cell includes an integrated membrane assembly, a first bipolar plate arranged on a first side of the integrated membrane assembly, and a second bipolar plate arranged on a second side of the integrated membrane assembly. The integrated membrane assembly includes a first gas diffusion layer, a second gas diffusion layer spaced apart from the first gas diffusion layer, a membrane located between the first gas diffusion layer and the second gas diffusion layer, and a plurality of bond members adhered to the first gas diffusion layer or the second gas diffusion layer. The first bipolar plate is formed to include at least one first pressure relief channel, and the second bipolar plate is formed to include at least one second pressure relief channel.

Claims20

Dependent claims

An electrochemical cell comprising:

an integrated membrane assembly including a first gas diffusion layer, a second gas diffusion layer spaced apart from the first gas diffusion layer relative to a first axis, a membrane located between the first gas diffusion layer and the second gas diffusion layer, and a plurality of bond members adhered to the first gas diffusion layer or the second gas diffusion layer,
a first bipolar plate arranged on a first side of the integrated membrane assembly relative to the first axis, the first bipolar plate formed to include at least one first pressure relief channel, and
a second bipolar plate arranged on a second side of the integrated membrane assembly relative to the first axis, the second bipolar plate formed to include at least one second pressure relief channel,
wherein each of the plurality of bond members is located in a corresponding one of the at least one first pressure relief channel or the at least one second pressure relief channel to minimize forces acting upon the first and second gas diffusion layers by the first and second bipolar plates to thereby minimize shear forces applied to the membrane by the first and second gas diffusion layers.

1 more element

A method of assembling an electrochemical cell comprising:

stacking a first frame, a membrane, and a second frame on top of one another,
fixing the first frame, the membrane, and the second frame to one another to form a membrane-frame component,
stacking a first gas diffusion layer, the membrane-frame component, and a second gas diffusion layer on top of one another,
fixing the first gas diffusion layer, the membrane-frame component, and the second gas diffusion layer to one another to form an integrated membrane assembly,
adhering at least one top bond member to outer surfaces of the first frame and the first gas diffusion layer of the integrated membrane assembly,
adhering at least one bottom bond member to outer surfaces of the second frame and the second gas diffusion layer of the integrated membrane assembly,
coupling a first bipolar plate to the integrated membrane assembly so that the at least one top bond member is received by at least one first pressure relief channel formed in the first bipolar plate, and
coupling a second bipolar plate to the integrated membrane assembly so that the at least one bottom bond member is received by at least one second pressure relief channel formed in the second bipolar plate.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 19/259,547Filed 3 Jul 2025
Priority: 25 Jul 2024
Published: 29 Jan 2026
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification15 codes

H01M 8/0297
Details: arrangements for joining electrodes, reservoir layers, heat exchange units or bipolar separators to each other
C25B 9/23
With diaphragms: comprising ion-exchange membranes in or on which electrode material is embedded
C25B 11/032
Porous electrodes: gas diffusion electrodes
C25B 13/02
Diaphragms; Spacing elements: characterised by shape or form