Direct methanol feed fuel cell and system
AssigneeCalifornia Institute of Technology
InventorsSubbarao Surampudi, Harvey A. Frank, Sekharipuram R. Narayanan, William Chun, Barbara Jeffries-Nakamura, Andrew Kindler, Gerald Halpert
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Improvements to non acid methanol fuel cells include new formulations for materials. The platinum and ruthenium are more exactly mixed together. Different materials are substituted for these materials. The backing material for the fuel cell electrode is specially treated to improve its characteristics. A special sputtered electrode is formed which is extremely porous.
Claims29
A method of forming a material for a fuel cell, comprising:
- forming a solution of platinum, ruthenium, and an extra material which maintains a separation between the platinum and the ruthenium;
- mixing said solution;
- operating on said solution, said operating including at least heating said solution;
- and
- after said operating, further operating on said solution in a way to remove the extra material.
A method of forming a fuel cell electrode, comprising:
- obtaining a backing material;
- treating said backing material with a waterproofing solution, while limiting an amount of waterproofing impregnation into the material, said limiting said material in an amount effective to render the material wettable but not porous.
A method of forming a fuel cell comprising:
- obtaining catalyst materials;
- mixing said catalyst materials with an ionomer and with a water repelling material to form a mixed catalyst material;
- and
- applying the mixed material to an electrode backing material.
A method of forming a porous electrode for a fuel cell, comprising:
- sputtering a mixture of a first catalyst material and a second material onto a backing to form a combined sputtered material of said first material and said second material;
- and
- washing away said second material using a washing element that does not remove said first material, to leave said first material with pores therebetween.
A method of forming a membrane electrode assembly, comprising:
- forming a stack including an anode electrode that has an appropriate fuel cell catalyst thereon, a proton conducting solid electrolyte member, and a cathode electrode including an appropriate fuel cell catalyst thereon;
- and
- heating and pressing the stack by an amount which is effective to bond the materials into a bonded membrane electrode assembly, by
- first pressing the stack between elements of a pressing machine,
- then, some time after said first pressing, heating the stack while maintaining pressure thereon by said pressing,
- and then, some time after said heating under pressure, cooling the stack while maintaining the pressure.
A fuel cell comprising:
- at least anode and cathode electrodes;
- a fuel supply conduit;
- and
- a flow field element, operating to supply fuel from said fuel supply conduit to at least one of said anode and cathode electrodes, said flow field element being pressed against said one electrode, and comprising a plurality of island areas, each having a pressing surface and side surfaces, the pressing surface pressed against said one electrode, and a flow field area surrounding said side areas, said flow field in communication with said fuel supply conduit,
- wherein said fuel supply conduit includes at least one opening to the flow field which extends in a direction and supplies the fuel to the flow field in said direction, said direction extending in a line which directly intersects one of said side surfaces, such that said fuel supply conduit supplies the fuel directly against said one of said side surfaces.
A method of supplying fuel to an electrode of a type that requires pressure thereagainst, comprising:
- pressing a flow field element against the electrode, said flow field element comprising a plurality of island areas, each having a pressing surface having a top surface and side surfaces, the pressing surface top surface pressed against said one electrode, and a flow field area surrounding said side areas, and
- supplying fuel directly against one of said side surfaces of one of said flow field elements to increase turbulence in the fuel flow.
A fuel cell comprising:
- at least anode and cathode electrodes;
- means for supplying fuel;
- and
- a flow field element, operating to supply fuel from said fuel supplying means to at least one of said anode and cathode electrodes, said flow field element being pressed against said one electrode, and comprising a plurality of island areas, said flow field element further comprising means for agitating turbulence in said fuel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.