Membrane with increased durability from partial ion exchange
AssigneeAudi AG
InventorsVishal Onkarmal Mittal, Lesia V. Protsailo, Sathya Motupally
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Abstract
An ion exchange membrane (52) for a fuel cell comprises a polymer having an acid functional group normally including protons, and having alkali metal ions partially ion-exchanged with the protons of the acid functional group of the membrane. The partial ion exchange of alkali metal ions into the membrane relates either to patterning of the exchanged ion make-up of the membrane, with some being ion exchanged and some not, or to the extent or concentration of the ion exchange in any particular location, or to both.
Claims15
An ion exchange membrane for a fuel cell, the ion exchange membrane comprising a polymer having an acid functional group normally including H+ ions, and having alkali metal ions partially ion-exchanged with the H+ ions of the acid functional group of the ion exchange membrane to provide a patterning of the alkali metal ion exchange across a planar area of the ion exchange membrane such that the partial ion exchange of alkali metal ions is for a portion of the planar area of the ion exchange membrane that is less than the entirety.
A unitized electrode assembly for a fuel cell, comprising:
- an ion exchange membrane, the ion exchange membrane being a sulfonated, hydrocarbon polymer having protons for ion exchange, and having alkali metal ions partially ion-exchanged with the protons of the ion exchange membrane to provide a patterning of the alkali metal ion exchange across a planar area of the ion exchange membrane, or a particular extent of alkali metal ion exchange that differs at respective locations across the planar area of the ion exchange membrane, or both, and the ion exchange membrane having a peripheral edge and a peripheral region adjacent its peripheral edge;
- an anode positioned to one side of the membrane;
- a cathode positioned to the other side of the membrane;
- and
- a seal at the peripheral region of the membrane.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.