Gas diffusion electrode with nanosized pores and method for making same
AssigneeThe Texas A&M University System
InventorsA. John Appleby, Serguey Gamburzev
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Abstract
A porous gas diffusion electrode for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells. The electrode contains an electrocatalyst, a polymer electrolyte and nanosized pores. The pores are formed using nanosized pore-formers. The pore-former is applied to a substrate along with a polymer electrolyte and an electrocatalyst and the resulting structure is treated to remove the pore-former.
Claims32
A method for making a gas diffusion electrode comprising the steps of:
- a) forming an electrode on a substrate by applying a mixture comprising a polymer electrolyte, an electrocatalyst, and a nanosized fumed silica pore-former to the substrate;
- and
- b) treating the electrode to remove the nanosized fumed silica pore-former.
A method for making a membrane electrode assembly comprising the steps of:
- a) forming an electrode on a substrate by applying a mixture comprising a polymer electrolyte, an electrocatalyst, and a nanosized fumed silica pore-former to the substrate;
- b) attaching the electrode to a membrane to form a membrane electrode assembly;
- and
- c) treating the electrode to remove the fumed silica pore-former.
A method for making a gas permeable layer for use in a fuel cell comprising the steps of:
- a) applying to a composition a nanosized fumed silica pore-former;
- and
- b) treating the composition to remove the nanosized fumed silica pore-former.
An electrode comprising a polymer electrolyte, an electrocatalyst, and nanosized pores, wherein the nanosized pores are formed by incorporating a nanosized fumed silica pore-former into the electrode and treating the electrode to remove the nanosized fumed silica pore-former.
A fuel cell comprising an electrode, wherein the electrode comprises a polymer electrolyte, an electrocatalyst, and nanosized pores, wherein the nanosized pores are formed by incorporating a nanosized fumed silica pore-former into the electrode and treating the electrode to remove the nanosized fumed silica pore-former.
A fuel cell comprising a layer having nanosized pores, wherein the nanosized pores are formed by incorporating a nanosized fumed silica pore-former into the layer and treating the layer to remove the nanosized fumed silica pore-former.
A fuel cell stack comprising a layer having nanosized pores, wherein the nanosized pores are formed by incorporating a nanosized fumed silica pore-former into the layer and treating the layer to remove the nanosized fumed silica pore-former.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.