Fuel cell incorporating a reinforced membrane
AssigneeE. I. Du Pont de Nemours and Company
InventorShoibal Banerjee
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A fuel cell and a battery with a reinforced polymeric ion exchange membrane are disclosed. The membrane comprises (a) a porous support layer, preferably of fluorine-containing polymer, and (b) an ion exchange resin, preferably a fluorinated ion exchange layer(s) supported on one or both sides of the porous support layer. The total thickness of the membrane is preferably from 20 to 500 .mu.m. The membrane has low fuel crossover, high electric conductivity and high mechanical strength. The membrane may especially be used in a direct methanol fuel cell.
Claims10
A fuel cell comprising anode and cathode compartments partitioned by a reinforced polymeric ion exchange membrane, said membrane consisting essentially of
- (a) at least one ion exchange polymer selected from the group consisting of perfluorinated polymers with side chains containing the group --CF.sub.2 CF.sub.2 SO.sub.2 F, and
- (b) a porous support layer comprising a microporous film of perfluorinated polymer selected from the group consisting of polytetrafluoroethylene and copolymers of tetrafluoroethylene with ##STR5## m=0 to 15, n=1 to 15, said support layer being fully embedded in said membrane.
A fuel cell comprising anode and cathode compartments partitioned by a reinforced polymeric ion exchange membrane, said membrane comprising
- (a) at least one ion exchange polymer, and
- (b) a porous support layer comprising a polymer having an aliphatic ring structure containing fluorine.
A fuel cell comprising anode and cathode compartments partitioned by a reinforced polymeric ion exchange membrane, said membrane consisting essentially of
- (a) at least one ion exchange polymer selected from the group consisting of perfluorinated polymers with side chains containing the group --CF.sub.2 CF.sub.2 SO.sub.2 F, and
- (b) a porous support layer comprising a microporous film of perfluorinated polymer selected from the group consisting of polytetrafluoroethylene and copolymers of tetrafluoroethylene with ##STR6## m=0 to 15, n=1 to 15, said porous support layer being on one surface of the membrane and said surface facing the cathode compartment of the fuel cell.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.