Fuel cell with current collectors integrated with the solid electrolyte and process for manufacturing such a fuel cell

A fuel cell comprising:

• an anodic current collector and a cathodic current collector, each current collector comprising at least one transverse passage passing through the current collector from a first surface to a second surface of the current collector;
• an electrically insulating separator element arranged between the anodic and cathodic current collectors, the separator element comprising:
• a first face and a second face opposite of the first face, the first and second faces being respectively in contact with the first surfaces of the anodic and cathodic current collectors, and
• a plurality of transverse channels passing through the separator element from the first face to the second face;
• and
• an ionically conducting solid electrolyte in contact with the anodic and cathodic current collectors, the solid electrolyte occupying a volume bounded by the transverse channels of the separator element and by the at least one passage of the current collectors,
• wherein:
• the separator element comprises a thermoplastic polymer material,
• the separator element presents, after pressing, a thickness determined by spacers formed by electrically insulating hard particles and arranged in the transverse channels of the separator element,
• the current collectors are made of metal, graphite, or an electrically conducting polymer material,
• the current collectors, after pressing, are incrusted and fixed into the electrically insulating separator element,
• materials of the separator element, the solid electrolyte, and the spacers are different from one another,
• a width of the transverse channels of the separator element is smaller than a width of the at least one passage of the current collectors, and
• the solid electrolyte is arranged in the transverse channels of the separator element and in the at least one passage of the current collectors.