Single fuel cell and method of manufacturing single fuel cell

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016260993-A1
Application number	US-201615057290-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 1, 2016
Priority date	Mar 3, 2015
Publication date	Sep 8, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A single fuel cell includes: a membrane electrode assembly; gas diffusion layers placed on both side surfaces of the membrane electrode assembly, respectively, while an outer peripheral edge portion remains in one side surface of the membrane electrode assembly; an adhesive layer formed to cover the outer peripheral edge portion; a support frame fixed on the adhesive layer; and separators placed on both side surfaces of the support frame and the gas diffusion layers, respectively, so that the peripheral portions of the separators are fixed on the support frame and the central portions of the separators abut on the gas diffusion layers. The support frame includes: a support frame body; and adhesive coating layers formed of an adhesive with thermoplasticity on at least one of both side surfaces of the support frame body.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A single fuel cell, comprising:
a membrane electrode assembly including an electrolyte membrane and electrocatalyst layers formed on both side surfaces of the electrolyte membrane, respectively; gas diffusion layers placed on both side surfaces of the membrane electrode assembly, respectively, so that an outer peripheral edge portion remains in one side surface of the membrane electrode assembly; an adhesive layer formed to cover the outer peripheral edge portion; a support frame fixed on the adhesive layer; and separators placed on both side surfaces of the support frame and the gas diffusion layers, respectively, so that peripheral portions of the separators are fixed on the support frame and central portions of the separators abut on the gas diffusion layers, wherein the support frame comprises: a support frame body; and an adhesive coating layer formed of an adhesive with thermoplasticity on at least one of both side surfaces of the support frame body, the separators are formed of a metal; and the support frame body is formed of a stretched crystalline polymer.

2 . The single fuel cell according to claim 1 , wherein the support frame body is formed of a multiaxially-stretched crystalline polymer.

3 . The single fuel cell according to claim 1 , wherein one of stretching directions of the crystalline polymer is parallel to a longitudinal direction of the support frame body.

4 . The single fuel cell according to claim 1 , wherein
the adhesive layer is formed of an adhesive with ultraviolet curability; and the support frame body is formed of a crystalline polymer which transmits an ultraviolet ray with a predetermined wavelength that cures the adhesive.

5 . The single fuel cell according to claim 4 , wherein the crystalline polymer includes at least one of polyethylene terephthalate resin, syndiotactic polystyrene resin and polypropylene resin.

6 . The single fuel cell according to claim 1 , wherein
the adhesive layer is formed of an adhesive with ultraviolet curability and a thermosetting property; and the support frame body is formed of a crystalline polymer that hardly transmits an ultraviolet ray with a predetermined wavelength that cures the adhesive.

7 . The single fuel cell according to claim 6 , wherein the crystalline polymer includes at least one of polyethylene naphthalate resin and polyphenylene sulfide resin.

8 . The single fuel cell according to claim 1 , wherein the separators are formed of stainless steel or titanium.

9 . The single fuel cell according to claim 1 , wherein the one side surface of the membrane electrode assembly is a cathode electrode side surface.

10 . A method for manufacturing a single fuel cell, the single fuel cell including: a membrane electrode assembly including an electrolyte membrane and electrocatalyst layers formed on both side surfaces of the electrolyte membrane, respectively; gas diffusion layers placed on both side surfaces of the membrane electrode assembly; a support frame supporting the membrane electrode assembly on a periphery of the membrane electrode assembly; and separators placed on both side surfaces of the support frame and the gas diffusion layers, respectively, so that peripheral portions of the separators are fixed on the support frame and central portions of the separators abut on the gas diffusion layers,
wherein the support frame includes: a support frame body; and an adhesive coating layer formed of an adhesive with thermoplasticity on at least one of both side surfaces of the support frame body; the separators are formed of a metal; and the support frame body is formed of a stretched crystalline polymer, the method for manufacturing the single fuel cell, comprising: providing the membrane electrode assembly in which the gas diffusion layers are placed on both side surfaces of the membrane electrode assembly, respectively, while an outer peripheral edge portion remains in one side surface of the membrane electrode assembly; forming an adhesive layer to cover the outer peripheral edge portion; placing an interior portion of the support frame on the adhesive layer and adhering the support frame and the membrane electrode assembly to each other; and placing the peripheral portions of the separators on both side surfaces of an outer portion of the support frame adhered to the membrane electrode assembly and heating the support frame and the separators to be adhered to each other.

Assignees

• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Ikeda Kotaro

Classifications

• H01M8/0284

  Organic resins; Organic polymers · CPC title

• H01M8/1004 Primary

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

• H01M8/0286

  Processes for forming seals · CPC title

• H01M8/0206 Primary

  Metals or alloys · CPC title

• H01M8/021

  Alloys based on iron · CPC title