US 9,806,354 B2Granted

Method for manufacturing reinforced membrane electrode assembly and reinforced membrane electrode assembly

AssigneeW. L. Gore & Associates, Inc.

InventorsYoichi Suzuki, Tomoya Nomura, Takuya Kosaka, Shinichi Nishimura

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Abstract

To provide a manufacturing method of a membrane electrode assembly which improves the reliability of seal, mechanical strength, and handling ability of a solid polymer type fuel cell. The manufacturing method of a membrane electrode assembly according to the present invention prepares a membrane electrode assembly which differs in size of gas diffusion layers at an anode side and cathode side, provides the outer peripheral edge of the membrane electrode assembly with a resin frame by molding, and, at that time, provides projections or a concave part and convex part at a top mold and bottom mold used for the molding so as to keep to a minimum the penetration of the resin frame material to the gas diffusion layers and/or electrode layers and prevent warping of the outer peripheral edges of the larger gas diffusion layer etc.

Claims12

Dependent claims

A reinforced membrane electrode assembly for solid polymer type fuel cell use which is produced by a method comprising:

preparing a membrane electrode assembly including
a polymer electrolyte membrane,
a first electrode layer which is provided on one side of said electrolyte membrane,
a first gas diffusion layer which is provided on said first electrode layer on the side opposite to said electrolyte membrane,
a second electrode layer which is provided on the other side of said electrolyte membrane, and
a second gas diffusion layer which is provided on said second electrode layer on the side opposite to said electrolyte membrane;
in which membrane electrode assembly, said first gas diffusion layer and said first electrode layer are arranged on the surface of said electrolyte membrane
so that the outer peripheral edge of said first gas diffusion layer as a whole fits within the range of the outer peripheral edge of said electrolyte membrane and
so that a surface region of said electrolyte membrane remains between the outer peripheral edge of said first electrode layer and the outer peripheral edge of said electrolyte membrane across the entire circumference of the outer peripheral edge of said first electrode layer;
and
in which membrane electrode assembly, said second gas diffusion layer is extended up to at least part of the opposite side from said surface region across the entire circumference of the outer peripheral edge of said electrolyte membrane;
and
providing, at said membrane electrode assembly, a resin frame by molding
so as to surround all of the outer peripheral edge of said electrolyte membrane and at least the parts of the outer peripheral edges of said first and second gas diffusion layers near said first and second electrode layers, and
so as to fasten at least part of said surface region,
wherein said molding comprises providing a top mold and bottom mold with projections,
said projections partially compressing at least parts of said first and second gas diffusion layers,
said compressed part of said first gas diffusion layer is near the outer peripheral edge of said first gas diffusion layer at a farther position than said compressed part of said second gas diffusion layer as seen from a center part of said membrane electrode assembly;
whereby penetration of said resin frame material to said first gas diffusion layer and/or said first electrode layer is kept to a minimum;
and
whereby warping of the outer peripheral edges of said electrolyte membrane, said second electrode layer, and said second gas diffusion layer is prevented.

18 more elements

A method for manufacturing a reinforced membrane electrode assembly for solid polymer type fuel cell use comprising:

preparing a membrane electrode assembly including
a polymer electrolyte membrane,
a first electrode layer which is provided on one side of said electrolyte membrane,
a first gas diffusion layer which is provided on said first electrode layer on the side opposite to said electrolyte membrane,
a second electrode layer which is provided on the other side of said electrolyte membrane, and
a second gas diffusion layer which is provided on said second electrode layer on the side opposite to said electrolyte membrane;
in which membrane electrode assembly, said first gas diffusion layer and said first electrode layer are arranged on the surface of said electrolyte membrane
so that the outer peripheral edge of said first gas diffusion layer as a whole fits within the range of the outer peripheral edge of said electrolyte membrane and
so that a surface region of said electrolyte membrane remains between the outer peripheral edge of said first electrode layer and the outer peripheral edge of said electrolyte membrane across the entire circumference of the outer peripheral edge of said first electrode layer;
and
in which membrane electrode assembly, said second gas diffusion layer is extended up to at least part of the opposite side from said surface region across the entire circumference of the outer peripheral edge of said electrolyte membrane;
and
providing, at said membrane electrode assembly, a resin frame by molding
so as to surround all of the outer peripheral edge of said electrolyte membrane and at least the parts of the outer peripheral edges of said first and second gas diffusion layers near said first and second electrode layers and
so as to fasten at least part of said surface region,
wherein said molding comprises providing a top mold with a concave part and a bottom mold with a convex part so that part or all of said membrane electrode assembly is curved and said surface region of said electrolyte membrane forms a slanted surface,
whereby a front end of flow of said resin frame material strikes said surface region.

14 more elements

A method for manufacturing a reinforced membrane electrode assembly for solid polymer type fuel cell use comprising:

preparing a membrane electrode assembly including
a polymer electrolyte membrane,
a first electrode layer which is provided on one side of said electrolyte membrane,
a first gas diffusion layer which is provided on said first electrode layer on the side opposite to said electrolyte membrane,
a second electrode layer which is provided on the other side of said electrolyte membrane, and
a second gas diffusion layer which is provided on said second electrode layer on the side opposite to said electrolyte membrane,
in which membrane electrode assembly, said first gas diffusion layer and said first electrode layer are arranged on the surface of said electrolyte membrane
so that the outer peripheral edge of said first gas diffusion layer as a whole fits within the range of the outer peripheral edge of said electrolyte membrane and
so that a surface region of said electrolyte membrane remains between the outer peripheral edge of said first electrode layer and the outer peripheral edge of said electrolyte membrane across the entire circumference of the outer peripheral edge of said first electrode layer;
and
in which membrane electrode assembly, said second gas diffusion layer is extended up to at least part of the opposite side from said surface region across the entire circumference of the outer peripheral edge of said electrolyte membrane;
and
providing, at said membrane electrode assembly, a resin frame by molding
so as to surround all of the outer peripheral edge of said electrolyte membrane and at least the parts of the outer peripheral edges of said first and second gas diffusion layers near said first and second electrode layers and
so as to fasten at least part of said surface region,
wherein said molding comprises arranging projections at a mold, among a top mold and bottom mold used for said molding, closer to said second gas diffusion layer and at an outer side from an outer peripheral edge of said second gas diffusion layer,
whereby a front end of flow of said resin frame material does not strike an interface between said electrolyte membrane and said second electrode layer.

14 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 15/172,889Filed 3 Jun 2016 · division
Priority: JP 2009-18713012 Aug 2009
Published: US 2016/0359178 A18 Dec 2016
Granted: 31 Oct 2017
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification22 codes

H01M 8/0286
Sealing or supporting means around electrodes, matrices or membranes: processes for forming seals
B29C 45/0046
Injection moulding, i.e. forcing the required volume of moulding material through a nozzle into a closed mould; Apparatus therefor: details…
B29C 45/14336
Incorporating preformed parts or layers, e.g. injection moulding around inserts or for coating articles: coating a portion of the article, e.g.…
B29C 45/14811
The article consisting of a material with particular properties, e.g. porous, brittle: multilayered articles

Family

PCT/JP2010/063954Parent of this division · filed 12 Aug 2010
US 2016/0359178 A1Pre-grant publication · published 8 Dec 2016
Application13/384,291Parent of this division
US 9,385,387 B2Parent of this division
US 2012/0219874 A1Published application
US 9,806,354 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.