# US 8,785,060 B2 · Method of manufacturing multilayer electrolyte reinforced composite membrane > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,785,060 B2 - Document ID: US8785060B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 11/648,748 - Filed: 2006-12-29 - Published: 2008-05-08 - Granted: 2014-07-22 - Earliest claimed: 2006-11-02 - Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company - Applicants: Nak Hyun Kwon - Inventors: Nak Hyun Kwon - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8785060B2 ## CPC - H01M 8/1004: characterised by membrane-electrode assemblies [MEA] (H01M8/12 takes precedence) - H01M 8/0289: Means for holding the electrolyte (solid polymer electrolytes H01M8/1018) - H01M 2300/0091: in the form of mixtures - H01M 2300/0094: in the form of layered products, e.g. coatings - Y02E 60/50: Fuel cells - Y02P 70/50: Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product - H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION - Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS ## Abstract The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a multilayer electrolyte reinforced composite membrane that is mechanically stable and cost-efficient and has superior hydrogen ion conductivity even when exposed to low humidity and high temperature conditions. The method of the invention involves a stretching process and a series of drying steps to provide a hydrogen ion exchange membrane of a three-layer structure comprising: a matrix layer of a hydrogen ion exchange membrane impregnated and stretched with a polymer electrolyte sandwiched between two electrolyte coated layers. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of manufacturing an electrolyte reinforced composite membrane with a multilayer comprising: stretching a porous film bidirectionally over the whole area; coating and impregnating the stretched film with an electrolyte solution, drying the resulting film at about 80-130° C. and stretching the dried film wherein said coating and impregnating, drying and stretching are processed successively about two to ten times to form a matrix layer and said film is stretched uniformly and bidirectionally over the whole area while coating and impregnating and stretched while drying; coating the upper and lower portions of the matrix layer with the electrolyte solution and drying the matrix layer at about 100-150° C. to form an electrolyte coated layer; and hot-pressing the electrolyte coated layer at about 120-150° C. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the electrolyte is a perfluorinated ionomer or a mixture comprising a perfluorinated ionomer and a heteropoly acid. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the film has a porosity of 80-90% and pores of 150-200 nm in diameter. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the drying the resulting film temperature is at a temperature of about 120° C. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the hot-pressing the electrolyte coated layer temperature is at a temperature of about 150° C. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said matrix layer and said electrolyte coated layer have a 3 layer structure as (b) a mixture layer of a perfluorosulfonated ionomer and a heteropoly acid as the electrolyte coated layer/e-PTFE film impregnated with a mixture of a perfluorosulfonated ionomer and a heteropoly acid as the matrix layer/a mixture layer of a perfluorosulfonated ionomer and a heteropoly acid as the electrolyte coated layer. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said matrix layer and said electrolyte coated layer have a 3 layer structure as (c) perfluorosulfonated ionomer layer as the electrolyte coated layer/e-PTFE film impregnated with a mixture of a perfluorosulfonated ionomer and a heteropoly acid as the matrix layer/perfluorosulfonated ionomer layer as the electrolyte coated layer. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said matrix layer and said electrolyte coated layer have a 3 layer structure selected from: (a) a perfluorosulfonated ionomer layer as the electrolyte coated layer/e-PTFE film impregnated with perfluorosulfonated ionomer as the matrix layer/perfluorosulfonated ionomer layer as the electrolyte coated layer, (b) a mixture layer of a perfluorosulfonated ionomer and a heteropoly acid as the electrolyte coated layer/e-PTFE film impregnated with a mixture of a perfluorosulfonated ionomer and a heteropoly acid as the matrix layer/a mixture layer of a perfluorosulfonated ionomer and a heteropoly acid as the electrolyte coated layer, and (c) a perfluorosulfonated ionomer layer as the electrolyte coated layer/e-PTFE film impregnated with a mixture of a perfluorosulfonated ionomer and a heteropoly acid as the matrix layer/perfluorosulfonated ionomer layer as the electrolyte coated layer. ### Claim 9 A method of manufacturing an electrolyte reinforced composite membrane with a multilayer comprising: coating and stretching a porous film bidirectionally over the whole area; coating and impregnating the stretched film with an electrolyte solution, drying the resulting film at about 80-130° C. and stretching the dried film wherein said coating and impregnating, drying and stretching are processed successively about two to ten times to form a matrix layer and said film is stretched uniformly and bidirectionally over the whole area while coating and impregnating and stretched while drying; coating the upper and lower portions of the matrix layer with the electrolyte solution and drying the matrix layer at about 100-150° C. to form an electrolyte coated layer; and hot-pressing the electrolyte coated layer at about 120-150° C., wherein said porous film is expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (e-PTFE) film and said electrolyte is a perfluorosulfonated ionomer or a mixture comprising a perfluorosulfonated ionomer and a heteropoly acid, and said matrix layer and said electrolyte coated layer have a 3 layer structure according to (a), (b) or (c); (a) a perfluorosulfonated ionomer layer as the electrolyte coated layer/e-PTFE film impregnated with perfluorosulfonated ionomer as the matrix layer/perfluorosulfonated ionomer layer as the electrolyte coated layer, (b) a mixture layer of a perfluorosulfonated ionomer and a heteropoly acid as the electrolyte coated layer/e-PTFE film impregnated with a mixture of a perfluorosulfonated ionomer and a heteropoly acid as the matrix layer/a mixture layer of a perfluorosulfonated ionomer and a heteropoly acid as the electrolyte coated layer, or (c) a perfluorosulfonated ionomer layer as the electrolyte coated layer/e-PTFE film impregnated with a mixture of a perfluorosulfonated ionomer and a heteropoly acid as the matrix layer/perfluorosulfonated ionomer layer as the electrolyte coated layer. ### Claim 10 A method of manufacturing an electrolyte reinforced composite membrane with a multilayer comprising: stretching a porous film bidirectionally over the whole area; coating and impregnating the stretched film with an electrolyte solution, drying the resulting film at about 80-130° C. and stretching the dried film wherein said coating and impregnating, drying and stretching are processed successively and said film is stretched uniformly and bidirectionally over the whole area while coating and impregnating and stretched while drying; and coating the upper and lower portions of the matrix layer with the electrolyte solution and drying the matrix layer at about 100-150° C. to form an electrolyte coated layer. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) An electrolyte reinforced composite membrane prepared by the method according to claim 1.