Method and apparatus for producing membrane electrode assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016172699-A1
Application number	US-201514957897-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 3, 2015
Priority date	Dec 12, 2014
Publication date	Jun 16, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A technique for producing a membrane electrode assembly with high quality is provided. In a method for producing a membrane electrode assembly, a first catalyst layer of a first catalyst layer sheet is bonded to a surface of an electrolyte film on which an electrolyte film base sheet is not formed. A first catalyst layer base sheet is separated from the first catalyst layer. The electrolyte film base sheet has been separated from the electrolyte film. A second catalyst layer of a second catalyst layer sheet is bonded to a surface of the electrolyte film from which the electrolyte film base sheet has been separated. The method for producing a membrane electrode assembly further includes a preliminary step of bonding either the second catalyst layer formed on the second catalyst layer base sheet or the second catalyst layer base sheet to a portion of the electrolyte film that has been fed prior to a position at which bonding of the first catalyst layer starts.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method for producing a membrane electrode assembly, the method comprising:
a feeding step of feeding an electrolyte film sheet including an electrolyte film base sheet and an electrolyte film formed on the electrolyte film base sheet, a first catalyst layer sheet including a first catalyst layer base sheet and a first catalyst layer formed on the first catalyst layer base sheet, and second catalyst layer sheet including a second catalyst layer base sheet and a second catalyst layer formed on the second catalyst layer base sheet; a first bonding step of bonding the first catalyst layer of the first catalyst layer sheet to a surface of the electrolyte film on which the electrolyte film base sheet is not formed; a first separation step of separating the first catalyst layer base sheet from the first catalyst layer; a second separation step of separating the electrolyte film base sheet from the electrolyte film; and a second bonding step of bonding the second catalyst layer of the second catalyst layer sheet to a surface of the electrolyte film from which the electrolyte film base sheet has been separated, wherein the method further comprising a preliminary step of bonding either the second catalyst layer formed on the second catalyst layer base sheet or the second catalyst layer base sheet to a portion of the electrolyte film that has been fed prior to a position at which the bonding of the first catalyst layer starts in the first bonding step.

2 . The method for producing a membrane electrode assembly according to claim 1 , wherein
in the preliminary step, the second catalyst layer base sheet is bonded to a surface of the electrolyte film from which the electrolyte film base sheet has been separated.

3 . The method for producing a membrane electrode assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising
a winding step of winding the electrolyte film to which the first catalyst layer and the second catalyst layer formed on the second catalyst layer base sheet are bonded.

4 . An apparatus for producing a membrane electrode assembly, the apparatus comprising:
an electrolyte film sheet feeder configured to feed an electrolyte film sheet including an electrolyte film base sheet and an electrolyte film located on the electrolyte film base sheet; a first catalyst layer sheet feeder configured to feed a first catalyst layer sheet including a first catalyst layer base sheet and a first catalyst layer located on the first catalyst layer base sheet; a second catalyst layer sheet feeder configured to feed a second catalyst layer sheet including a second catalyst layer base sheet and a second catalyst layer located on the second catalyst layer base sheet; a first bonding unit configured to bond the first catalyst layer of the first catalyst layer sheet to a surface of the electrolyte film on which the electrolyte film base sheet is not located; a first separating unit configured to remove the first catalyst layer base sheet from the first catalyst layer; a second separating unit configured to remove the electrolyte film base sheet from the electrolyte film; and a second bonding unit configured to bond the second catalyst layer of the second catalyst layer sheet to a surface of the electrolyte film from which the electrolyte film base sheet has been separated, wherein the second bonding unit is capable of bonding either the second catalyst layer located on the second catalyst layer base sheet or the second catalyst layer base sheet to a portion of the electrolyte film that has been fed prior to a position at which bonding of the first catalyst layer by the first bonding unit starts as a preliminary process.

5 . The apparatus for producing a membrane electrode assembly of claim 4 , wherein
the first catalyst layer sheet feeder feeds a film by a predetermined length before the first catalyst layer sheet is fed so as to enable the second bonding unit to perform the preliminary process.

Assignees

• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Ohashi Sozaburo

Classifications

• H01M2008/1095

  Fuel cells with polymeric electrolytes · CPC title

• H01M4/8814

  Temporary supports, e.g. decal · CPC title

• H01M4/881

  Electrolytic membranes · CPC title

• H01M8/1004 Primary

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

• Y02P70/50

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