Manufacturing method of unit cell of fuel cell

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10957917-B2
Application number	US-201816154298-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 8, 2018
Priority date	Oct 11, 2017
Publication date	Mar 23, 2021
Grant date	Mar 23, 2021

Abstract

A manufacturing method of a unit cell of a fuel cell, includes: preparing a frame member made of resin, first adhesive bonds being provided on one surface of the frame member and being separated from each other and each having thermoplasticity; preparing a separator; and joining the frame member and the separator by heating and pressing the frame member and the separator in a state where the one surface of the frame member faces the separator through the first adhesive bonds, so as to melt the first adhesive bonds to be brought into contact with each other.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A manufacturing method of a unit cell of a fuel cell, comprising:
preparing a frame member made of resin, first adhesive bonds being provided on a first surface of the frame member and being separated from each other and each having thermoplasticity in a solid state, and a gasket being provided on a second surface of the frame member;
preparing a separator; and
joining the frame member and the separator by heating and pressing the frame member and the separator in a state where the first surface of the frame member faces the separator through the first adhesive bonds, so as to melt the first adhesive bonds to be brought into contact with each other.

2. The manufacturing method of the unit cell of the fuel cell of claim 1 , further comprising:
preparing a membrane-electrode-gas diffusion layer assembly including:
an electrolyte membrane;
a first catalyst layer formed on one surface of the electrolyte membrane so as to expose a peripheral region of the one surface of the electrolyte membrane;
a second catalyst layer formed on another surface of the electrolyte membrane;
a first gas diffusion layer joined to the first catalyst layer so as to expose the peripheral region; and
a second gas diffusion layer joined to the second catalyst layer; and

joining a part of the first surface of the frame member in an inner peripheral edge side to the peripheral region of the electrolyte membrane with a second adhesive bond, before the joining of the frame member and the separator.

3. The manufacturing method of the unit cell of the fuel cell of claim 1 , wherein in the preparing of the frame member, clearances between the first adhesive bonds in a predetermined direction are the same size.

4. The manufacturing method of the unit cell of the fuel cell of claim 1 , wherein in the preparing of the frame member, the first adhesive bonds are the same size and the same shape.

5. The manufacturing method of the unit cell of the fuel cell of claim 1 , in the preparing of the frame member, the first adhesive bonds are separated from each other such that each of the first adhesive bonds is surrounded in an imaginary square having a side length of 20 mm.

6. The manufacturing method of the unit cell of the fuel cell of claim 1 , wherein, in the preparing of the frame member, the first adhesive bonds are separated from each other such that each of the first adhesive bonds is surrounded in an imaginary square having a side length of one-tenth of a side length of the frame member.

7. The manufacturing method of the unit cell of the fuel cell of claim 1 , wherein each first adhesive bond is modified polyolefin including at least one polyolefin including a functional group.

8. The manufacturing method of the unit cell of the fuel cell of claim 7 , wherein the modified polyolefin includes: any one of or combination of silane coupling agent; epoxy resin; urethane resin; acid anhydride including maleic anhydride; carboxylic acid including acrylic acid and methacrylic acid; and alcohols including vinyl alcohol and ethylhexyl acrylate.

9. The manufacturing method of the unit cell of the fuel cell of claim 1 , wherein none of the first adhesive bonds is provided on the second surface of the frame member.

Assignees

• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Shibata Kazunori

Classifications

• Y02P70/50

  Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product · CPC title

• H01M8/0269

  Separators, collectors or interconnectors including a printed circuit board · CPC title

• H01M8/0286 Primary

  Processes for forming seals · CPC title

• H01M8/10

  Fuel cells with solid electrolytes · CPC title

• H01M8/0289

  Means for holding the electrolyte (solid polymer electrolytes H01M8/1018) · CPC title