Fuel cell microporous layer having multiple densities

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10388968-B2
Application number	US-201415111155-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 16, 2014
Priority date	Jan 16, 2014
Publication date	Aug 20, 2019
Grant date	Aug 20, 2019

Abstract

An illustrative example fuel cell component assembly includes a gas diffusion layer having a gas diffusion layer surface on one side. A microporous layer adjacent the gas diffusion layer includes a first portion having a first density and a second portion having a second density that is lower than the first density. The first portion and the second portion are arranged in a preselected pattern along the microporous layer. The first portion contacts a first section of the gas diffusion layer surface and the second portion contacts a second section of the gas diffusion layer surface.

First claim

We claim:

1. A fuel cell component assembly, comprising:
a gas diffusion layer having a gas diffusion layer surface on one side; and
a microporous layer adjacent the gas diffusion layer, the microporous layer including:
a first portion having a first density, the first portion including a plurality of first segments; and
a second portion having a second density that is lower than the first density, the second portion including a plurality of second segments, the first portion and the second portion being arranged in a preselected pattern along the microporous layer in which each of the second segments is arranged between two adjacent first segments, the first portion contacting a first section of the gas diffusion layer surface and the second portion contacting a second section of the gas diffusion layer surface.

2. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein
the first portion and the second portion define a surface area of one side of the microporous layer;
the one side is received against the gas diffusion layer surface; and
the first portion extends between one edge of the microporous layer and an interface between the second portion and the first portion.

3. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein
the first density includes a first gas permeability; and
the second density includes a second gas permeability that is greater than the first gas permeability.

4. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein
the first density includes a first porosity defined by a first average pore size of pores in the first portion;
the second density includes a second porosity defined by a second average pore size of pores in the second portion; and
the second average pore size is greater than the first average pore size.

5. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein
the first density includes a first water vapor permeability; and
the second density includes a second water vapor permeability that is greater than the first water vapor permeability.

6. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein
one edge of the gas diffusion layer is configured to be situated adjacent a fluid inlet through which fluid moves toward the gas diffusion layer.

7. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein at least the first density is at least partially established by compacting a material of the first portion of the microporous layer.

8. A method of making a microporous layer for use in a fuel cell, comprising:
compacting a first portion of a microporous layer material to alter a density of at least the first portion of the microporous material to establish a first density of the first portion of the microporous layer that is higher than a second density of a second portion of the microporous layer, the first portion comprising a plurality of first segments and the second portion comprising a plurality of second segments;
arranging the first portion having the first density to contact a first section of a gas diffusion layer surface;
arranging the second portion having the second density to contact a second section of the gas diffusion layer surface which is adjacent the first section of the gas diffusion layer surface in a longitudinal direction of the microporous layer; and
arranging the first portion and the second portion in a pre-selected pattern such that each of the second segments is arranged between two adjacent first segments.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein
the first density includes a first gas permeability; and
the second density includes a second gas permeability that is greater than the first gas permeability.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein
the first density includes a first porosity defined by a first average pore size of pores in the first portion;
the second density includes a second porosity defined by a second average pore size of pores in the second portion; and
the second average pore size is greater than the first average pore size.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein
the first density includes a first water vapor permeability; and
the second density includes a second water vapor permeability that is greater than the first water vapor permeability.

Assignees

• Audi Ag

Inventors

• Razack Siddique Ali Khateeb
• Darling Robert Mason

Classifications

• H01M2008/1095

  Fuel cells with polymeric electrolytes · CPC title

• H01M8/0245 Primary

  in the form of layered or coated products · CPC title

• H01M8/1018

  Polymeric electrolyte materials · CPC title

• Y02E60/50

  Fuel cells · CPC title