Active layer/membrane arrangement for a hydrogen production device and assembly comprising said arrangement suitable for a porous current collector and method for producing the arrangement

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016186339-A1
Application number	US-201414910987-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 16, 2014
Priority date	Aug 23, 2013
Publication date	Jun 30, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An active layer/membrane assembly to be incorporated into a hydrogen production device comprises an active layer in contact with a membrane capable of exchanging ions, the active layer comprising catalyst particles and particles referred to as support particles, wherein the size of the support particles is greater than the thickness of the active layer, so that the support particles emerge from the active layer, at the surface opposite the surface in contact with the membrane. A unit comprising the assembly and a porous current collector, the assembly and the collector having a complementarity of surface finish is provided. A process for manufacturing the assembly is also provided.

First claim

1 . An active layer/membrane assembly intended to be incorporated into a hydrogen production device, said assembly comprising an active layer in contact with a membrane capable of exchanging ions, said active layer comprising catalyst particles and particles referred to as support particles, wherein the size of the support particles is greater than the thickness of said active layer, so that said support particles emerge from said active layer, at the surface opposite the surface in contact with said membrane.

2 . The active layer/membrane assembly as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the catalyst particles are particles based on iridium, or on iridium oxide.

3 . The active layer/membrane assembly as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the support particles are titanium particles.

4 . The active layer/membrane assembly as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the support particles have a size of greater than 1.2 micron, the thickness of the active layer being of the order of a micron.

5 . The active layer/membrane assembly as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the membrane is a membrane of Nafion® type.

6 . The active layer/membrane assembly as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the degree of catalyst loading of said active layer is less than around 0.3 mg/cm 2 .

7 . A unit comprising an active layer/membrane assembly as claimed in claim 1 and a current collector, said current collector having pores, with a porosity such that the support particles emerging from said active layer penetrate at the surface into the pores of said collector.

8 . The unit as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the current collector is a porous titanium material.

9 . The unit as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the porous collector is an assembly of grids.

10 . A process for manufacturing an assembly as claimed in claim 1 , comprising:
the deposition of an active layer comprising catalyst particles and particles referred to as support particles, the size of the support particles being greater than the thickness of said active layer, on said membrane; the hydration of the membrane electrode assembly thus formed.

11 . The process for manufacturing an assembly as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the production of said active layer comprises the production of an ink added to said membrane, said ink comprising a powder of catalyst particles and support particles, Nafion® and a mixture of water and alcohol.

12 . The process for manufacturing an assembly as claimed in claim 11 , comprising:
the spraying of the ink onto a Teflon® support; the transfer by hot pressing onto said membrane capable of exchanging ions.

Assignees

• Commissariat Energie Atomique

Inventors

• Mayousse Eric
• Rozain Caroline

Classifications

• H01M4/9016

  Oxides, hydroxides or oxygenated metallic salts · CPC title

• C25B13/08 Primary

  based on organic materials · CPC title

• H01M8/1004

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

• H01M4/8814

  Temporary supports, e.g. decal · CPC title

• H01M4/881

  Electrolytic membranes · CPC title