Boron phosphate matrix layer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10164269-B2
Application number	US-201615244328-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 23, 2016
Priority date	Aug 23, 2016
Publication date	Dec 25, 2018
Grant date	Dec 25, 2018

Abstract

An illustrative example embodiment of a fuel cell includes a cathode electrode, an anode electrode, and a porous matrix layer between the electrodes. The porous matrix layer includes pores and solids. The solids comprises at least 90% boron phosphate. A phosphoric acid electrolyte is within the pores of the matrix layer.

First claim

I claim:

1. A fuel cell, comprising:
a cathode electrode;
an anode electrode;
a porous matrix layer between the cathode electrode and the anode electrode, the porous matrix layer including pores and solids, the solids of the porous matrix layer comprising at least 90% boron phosphate by mass; and
a phosphoric acid electrolyte within the pores of the matrix layer.

2. The fuel cell of claim 1 , wherein
the boron phosphate has an average particle size between 0.5 μm and 4 μm.

3. The fuel cell of claim 2 , wherein the average particle size is approximately 2 μm.

4. The fuel cell of claim 1 , wherein
the matrix layer has a thickness that is between 10 μm and 100 μm.

5. The fuel cell of claim 3 , wherein the thickness is approximately 50 μm.

6. The fuel cell of claim 1 , wherein the solids comprise between 90% and 99% boron phosphate by mass.

7. The fuel cell of claim 1 , wherein the matrix layer comprises a coating on at least one of the electrodes.

8. The fuel cell of claim 1 , wherein
the cathode electrode and the anode electrode each comprises a catalyst layer;
each catalyst layer is surrounded by a porous filler band layer; and
each porous filler band layer comprises boron phosphate.

9. The fuel cell of claim 8 , wherein the filler band layers have a different composition than the matrix layer.

10. The fuel cell of claim 1 , wherein
the anode electrode and the cathode electrode are supported on respective substrate layers;
the respective substrate layers comprise an edge seal; and
the respective edge seals comprise boron phosphate.

11. A method of making a fuel cell, the method comprising:
establishing a cathode layer;
establishing an anode layer;
establishing a porous matrix layer between the cathode layer and the anode layer, the porous matrix layer including pores and solids, the solids comprising at least 90% boron phosphate by mass; and
disposing phosphoric acid electrolyte in the pores of the porous matrix layer.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein establishing the porous matrix layer comprises
mixing a slurry comprising boron phosphate particles, a surfactant, a thickening agent, and a binder;
depositing a coating of the mixed slurry on at least one of the cathode layer or the anode layer; and
drying the deposited coating, wherein the resulting coating is at least part of the matrix layer.

13. The method of claim 12 , comprising
depositing the coating of the mixed slurry on each of the cathode layer and the anode layer; and
wherein the deposited coatings collectively establish the matrix layer.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein
the boron phosphate particles have an average particle size between 0.5 μm and 4 μm.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the average particle size is approximately 2 μm.

16. The method of claim 11 , wherein
the matrix layer has a thickness that is between 10 μm and 100 μm.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the thickness is approximately 50 μm.

18. The method of claim 11 , wherein the solids comprise between 90% and 99% boron phosphate by mass.

19. The method of claim 11 , comprising surrounding the cathode layer and the anode layer respectively with a filler band layer that comprises boron phosphate.

20. The method of claim 11 , comprising
establishing the cathode layer on a first substrate layer;
establishing the anode layer on a second substrate layer;
providing a first edge seal on the first substrate layer; and
providing a second edge seal on the second substrate layer,
wherein the first and second edge seals comprise boron phosphate.

Assignees

• Doosan Fuel Cell America Inc

Inventors

• Arpin Kevin A

Classifications

• H01M8/0293 Primary

  Matrices for immobilising electrolyte solutions · CPC title

• H01M2300/0008

  Phosphoric acid-based · CPC title

• H01M8/086

  Phosphoric acid fuel cells [PAFC] · CPC title

• Y02E60/50

  Fuel cells · CPC title