Electrolytic cell membrane/SPE formation by solution coating
AssigneeDiamond Shamrock Corporation
InventorsMichael J. Covitch, Mark F. Smith, Leo L. Benezra
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for forming a membrane upon an electrode from a dispersed, perfluorocarbon copolymer. Perfluorocarbon is dispersed in a solvating medium, a substantial portion, but not necessarily all of the perfluorocarbon being solvated. The dispersion is applied to an electrode and the dispersion medium is removed.
Claims16
A method for forming an electrolyte electrode assembly for use in an electrochemical cell comprising the steps of:
- (1) dispersing a quantity of a copolymeric perfluorocarbon having an equivalent weight greater than 900 but less than about 1500 and having one of sulfonyl, carbonyl and phosphorous based pendant functional groups in a solvating dispersion media;
- (2) providing an electrode structure that includes interstices;
- (3) at least once applying the dispersion to the electrode structure, whereby the dispersion at least partially coats the electrode structure bridging the interstices;
- and
- (4) removing the dispersion media.
A method for making an electrode assembly for use in an electrochemical cell comprising the steps of:
- (1) dispersing a quantity of a copolymeric perfluorocarbon having an equivalent weight greater than 900 but less than about 1500 and having one sulfonyl, carbonyl and and phosphorous based pendant functional groups in a solvating dispersion media;
- (2) providing a reticulate electrode structure;
- (3) at least once coating the reticulate electrode with the dispersion and removing the dispersion media until a coating of a desired thickness has been attained on the reticulate electrode structure, and interstices between elements of the reticulate electrode structure have been bridged;
- and
- (4) removing a portion of the coating to expose a portion of the reticulate electrode structure.
A method for making a perfluorocarbon copolymeric membrane and solid polymer electrolyte electrode assembly for use in an electrochemical cell comprising the steps of:
- (1) dispersing a quantity of copolymeric perfluorocarbon having an equivalent weight of greater than 900 but less than about 1500 and having one of sulfonyl, carbonyl phosphorous based pendant functional groups in a solvating dispersion media;
- (2) providing a reticulate electrode structure including a surface portion comprising at least one electrocatalytic compound;
- (3) masking the electrocatalytic surface portion;
- (4) at least once coating the reticulate electrode structure with the dispersion media whereby the dispersion bridges interstices between the elements of the reticulate electrode structure;
- (5) removing the dispersion media;
- (6) repeating steps 4 and 5 until a coating of desired thickness is achieved upon the reticulate electrode structure completely bridging the interstices;
- and
- (7) removing the masking.
A method for making a perfluorocarbon copolymeric membrane having an equivalent weight of greater than 900 but less that about 1500 and solid polymer electrolyte electrode assembly for use in an electrochemical cell comprising the steps of:
- (1) dispersing a quantity of the copolymeric perfluorocarbon in solvating dispersion media;
- (2) providing a reticulate electrode structure including a surface portion comprising at least one electrocatalytic compound;
- (3) placing a sheet of resinous material beneath a sheet of aluminum foil;
- (4) placing the reticulate electrode structure upon the aluminum foil with the electrocatalytic surface portion opposing the aluminum foil;
- (5)pressing the reticulate electrode structure into the aluminum foil, the resinous material undergoing cold flow whereby the aluminum foil generally conforms to contours of the reticulate electrode structure;
- (6) at least once coating the reticulate electrode structure with the dispersion and removing the dispersion media until a coating of a desired thickness has been built upon the electrode bridging between the elements of the reticulate electrode structure;
- and
- (7) removing the aluminum foil and resinous material.
A method for forming a perfluorocarbon copolymer coated structure comprising the steps of:
- (1) dispersing a quantity of a copolymeric perfluorocarbon having an equivalent weight greater than 900 but less than about 1500 and having one of sulfonyl, carbonyl and phosphorous based pendant functional groups in a solvating dispersion media;
- (2) providing a substrate structure that includes interstices;
- (3) at least once applying the dispersion to the substrate structure, whereby the dispersion at least partially coats the substrate structure bridging the interstices;
- and
- (4) removing the dispersion media.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.