Membrane-electrode assembly (MEA) for fuel cells

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10103392-B2
Application number	US-201414308534-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 18, 2014
Priority date	Dec 30, 2013
Publication date	Oct 16, 2018
Grant date	Oct 16, 2018

Abstract

A membrane-electrode assembly (MEA) for fuel cells includes an electricity-generating array including an anode, a cathode, and an electrolyte membrane. A subgasket array includes an anode subgasket surrounding a periphery of the anode and a cathode subgasket surrounding a periphery of the cathode. A junction array includes a polar junction and a nonpolar junction surrounding a periphery of the electrolyte membrane and attaching the anode subgasket and the cathode subgasket to each other.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A membrane-electrode assembly (MEA) for fuel cells, comprising:
an electricity-generating array including an anode, a cathode, and an electrolyte membrane;
a subgasket array including an anode subgasket surrounding a periphery of the anode and a cathode subgasket surrounding a periphery of the cathode; and
a junction array including a polar junction and a non-polar junction,
wherein the subgasket array surrounds an end of the electrolyte membrane,
wherein the junction array is disposed on the periphery of the electrolyte membrane to be collinear with two ends of the electrolyte membrane, and interposed between the anode subgasket and the cathode subgasket to attach the anode subgasket and the cathode subgasket to each other,
wherein the junction array is configured such that the polar junction and the non-polar junction are alternately arranged along a plane collinear with the two ends of the electrolyte membrane such that one of the polar junction and the non-polar junction contacts one of the two ends of the electrolyte membrane while other one of the polar junction and the non-polar junction does not contact the one of the two ends of the electrolyte membrane, and
wherein the polar junction includes a hydrophilic resin composition and the non-polar junction includes a hydrophobic resin composition.

2. The MEA for fuel cells of claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte membrane is longer than the anode and the cathode to protrude from lateral sides of the anode and the cathode.

3. The MEA for fuel cells of claim 1 , wherein the anode subgasket and the cathode subgasket are formed such that they protrude from a lateral side of the electrolyte membrane.

4. The MEA for fuel cells of claim 3 , wherein the junction array is disposed on the periphery of the electrolyte membrane and is interposed between the anode subgasket and the cathode subgasket to attach the anode subgasket and the cathode subgasket to each other.

5. The MEA for fuel cells of claim 1 , wherein edges of the anode subgasket and the cathode subgasket are laser-welded.

6. The MEA for fuel cells of claim 1 , wherein the junction array includes a plurality of polar junctions and a plurality of non-polar junctions, and the plurality of polar junctions and non-polar junctions are arranged between the anode subgasket and the cathode subgasket.

7. The MEA for fuel cells of claim 6 , wherein the junction array is configured such that the plurality of polar junctions and the non-polar junctions are alternately in sequence arranged along the periphery of the electrolyte membrane.

8. The MEA for fuel cells of claim 1 , wherein the junction array is configured such that the polar junction is adjacent to the electrolyte membrane, the non-polar junction surrounds a lateral side of the polar junction, and a convex portion of the non-polar junction is inserted in a concave portion of the polar junction.

9. The MEA for fuel cells of claim 1 , wherein the junction array is configured such that the non-polar junction is adjacent to the electrolyte membrane, the polar junction surrounds a lateral side of the non-polar junction, and a convex portion of the non-polar junction is inserted in a concave portion of the polar junction.

Assignees

• Hyundai Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Hong Bo Ki
• Han Kook Il
• Park Ji Yeon
• Jeong Byeong Heon
• Cho Sang Hyun
• Lim Chae Won

Classifications

• H01M8/0276

  Sealing means characterised by their form (H01M8/0273 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01M8/0271 Primary

  Sealing or supporting means around electrodes, matrices or membranes · CPC title

• H01M8/0297

  Arrangements for joining electrodes, reservoir layers, heat exchange units or bipolar separators to each other (H01M8/0271 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01M8/1004 Primary

  characterised by membrane-electrode assemblies [MEA] (H01M8/12 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01M2008/1095

  Fuel cells with polymeric electrolytes · CPC title