Fuel cell

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11417892-B2
Application number	US-201817279440-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 12, 2018
Priority date	Oct 12, 2018
Publication date	Aug 16, 2022
Grant date	Aug 16, 2022

Abstract

Provided is a highly reliable fuel cell that improves power generation efficiency of the fuel cell and that is less likely to cause damage to an electrode and an electrolyte film. The fuel cell includes a support substrate (2, 3) having a region in which a support portion having a mesh-like shape in a plan view is provided, a first electrode 4 on the support substrate, an electrolyte film 5 on the first electrode, and a second electrode 6 on the electrolyte film. The first electrode includes a first thin film electrode 4A formed in a manner of covering at least the region, and a first mesh-like electrode 4B connected to the first thin film electrode and provided corresponding to the support portion. The first mesh-like electrode 4B has a film thickness larger than that of the first thin film electrode and has a mesh-like shape in a plan view.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A fuel cell, comprising:
a support substrate having a region in which a support portion having a mesh shape in a plan view is provided;
a first electrode on the support substrate;
an electrolyte film on the first electrode; and
a second electrode on the electrolyte film, wherein
the first electrode includes a first thin film electrode formed in a manner of covering at least the region, and a first mesh electrode connected to the first thin film electrode and provided corresponding to the support portion, the first mesh electrode having a film thickness larger than that of the first thin film electrode and having a mesh shape in a plan view.

2. The fuel cell according to claim 1 , wherein
the second electrode includes a second thin film electrode formed on the electrolyte film in a manner of covering at least the region, and a second mesh electrode connected to the second thin film electrode and provided corresponding to the support portion, the second mesh electrode having a film thickness larger than that of the second thin film electrode and having a mesh shape in a plan view.

3. The fuel cell according to claim 1 , wherein
the support substrate includes a semi-conductor substrate, and a first insulating film formed on a first surface of the semi-conductor substrate,
the semi-conductor substrate is provided with a first opening portion extending from a second surface facing the first surface to the first insulating film in the region, and
the support portion is formed in the region by providing a plurality of second opening portions in the first insulating film.

4. The fuel cell according to claim 3 , wherein
the first insulating film has a tensile stress.

5. The fuel cell according to claim 3 , wherein
the first insulating film is a silicon nitride film, an aluminum nitride film, a stacked film of a silicon nitride film and a silicon oxide film, or a stacked film of a silicon nitride film, a silicon oxide film, and an aluminum nitride film.

6. The fuel cell according to claim 1 , wherein
the first thin film electrode is a continuous film formed by a sputtering method.

7. The fuel cell according to claim 6 , wherein
a material of the first thin film electrode is any one of Pt, Ag, Ni, Cr, Pd, Ru, and Rh.

8. The fuel cell according to claim 1 , wherein
a film thickness of the first thin film electrode is 2 nm or more and 30 nm or less.

9. The fuel cell according to claim 1 , wherein
the first mesh electrode is formed of any one of a Pt film, an Au film, an Ag film, an Mo film, a W film, a Ta film, an Hf film, and an Si film, or a stacked film of the films.

10. The fuel cell according to claim 2 , wherein
the first thin film electrode, the first mesh electrode, the electrolyte film, the second thin film electrode, and the second mesh electrode are stacked in the above order on the support substrate,
the first electrode includes a third thin film electrode connected to the first mesh electrode and formed in the same layer as the second thin film electrode, and a third electrode connected to the third thin film electrode and formed in the same layer as the second mesh electrode, and
height of an upper end of the third electrode and height of an upper end of the second mesh electrode are equal to each other.

11. The fuel cell according to claim 1 , wherein
the first mesh electrode, the first thin film electrode, and the electrolyte film are stacked in the above order on the support substrate, and
an interface between the first thin film electrode and the electrolyte film has a flat shape.

12. The fuel cell according to claim 11 , wherein
the second electrode includes a second thin film electrode formed on the electrolyte film in a manner of covering at least the region, and a second mesh electrode connected to the second thin film electrode and provided corresponding to the support portion, the second mesh electrode having a film thickness larger than that of the second thin film electrode and having a mesh shape in a plan view, and
an interface between the second thin film electrode and the electrolyte film has a flat shape.

13. The fuel cell according to claim 12 , wherein
the first electrode includes a third thin film electrode connected to the first thin film electrode and formed in the same layer as the second thin film electrode, and a third electrode connected to the third thin film electrode and formed in the same layer as the second mesh electrode, and
height of an upper end of the third electrode and height of an upper end of the second mesh electrode are equal to each other.

14. The fuel cell according to claim 11 , wherein
a second insulating film is formed in a manner of covering a side wall of the first mesh electrode.

15. The fuel cell according to claim 1 , wherein
the first mesh-like electrode and the electrolyte film are stacked in the above order on the support substrate,
a width of the first mesh electrode is larger than a width of the support portion, and
the first thin film electrode is formed in the region in a manner of being in contact with the support substrate, the electrolyte film, and the first mesh electrode from a side of the support portion facing the stacked side.

Assignees

• Hitachi High Tech Corp

Inventors

• Sakuma Noriyuki
• Sasago Yoshitaka
• Sugimoto Aritoshi
• Mise Nobuyuki
• Watanabe Seiichi

Classifications

• H01M8/2425

  High-temperature cells with solid electrolytes · CPC title

• H01M8/1286

  Fuel cells applied on a support, e.g. miniature fuel cells deposited on silica supports · CPC title

• H01M4/8871

  Sputtering · CPC title

• H01M4/8657

  layered · CPC title

• H01M4/925 Primary

  supported on carriers, e.g. powder carriers · CPC title