Electrode for fuel cell, membrane electrode complex body for fuel cell, and fuel cell

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016285116-A1
Application number	US-201615052038-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 24, 2016
Priority date	Mar 25, 2015
Publication date	Sep 29, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An electrode for a fuel cell according to an embodiment of an embodiment includes: a catalyst layer having a noble metal catalyst unit that has a porous structure or a layer-by-layer structure including void layers and a hydrophilic material; a porous water management layer arranged adjacent to the catalyst layer and including a hydrophilic material and a conductive material; and a gas diffusion layer arranged adjacent to the porous water management layer, where a size of the noble metal catalyst unit is equal to or more than 0.05 μm and equal to or less than 2 μm, the porosity of the porous water management layer is equal to or more than 30 vol % and equal to or less than 85 vol %, and the hydrophilicity thereof is equal to or more than 0.05 and equal to or less than 1.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An electrode for a fuel cell comprising:
a catalyst layer having a noble metal catalyst unit that has a porous structure or a layer-by-layer structure including void layers and a hydrophilic material; a porous water management layer arranged adjacent to the catalyst layer and including a hydrophilic material and a conductive material; and a gas diffusion layer arranged adjacent to the porous water management layer, wherein a size of the noble metal catalyst unit is equal to or more than 0.05 μm and equal to or less than 2 μm, the porosity of the porous water management layer is equal to or more than 30 vol% and equal to or less than 85 vol %, and the hydrophilicity thereof is equal to or more than 0.05 and equal to or less than 1.

2 . The electrode for the fuel cell according to claim 1 , wherein the thickness of the porous water management layer is equal to or more than 1 μm and equal to or less than 10 μm.

3 . The electrode for the fuel cell according to claims 1 , wherein the hydrophilic material of the catalyst layer is a hydrophilic polymer.

4 . The electrode for the fuel cell according to claim 3 , wherein the hydrophilic polymer is an ionomer having ion conduction property.

5 . A membrane electrode assembly for a fuel cell comprising:
a first electrode capable of operating as an anode; a separator arranged adjacent to the first electrode; and a second electrode arranged adjacent to the separator and capable of operating as a cathode, wherein at least one of the first and second electrodes includes: a catalyst layer having a noble metal catalyst unit that has a porous structure or a layer-by-layer structure including void layers and having a noble metal catalyst unit of which size is equal to or more than 0.05 μm and equal to or less than 2 μm and a hydrophilic material; a porous water management layer arranged adjacent to the catalyst layer and including a hydrophilic material and a conductive material, wherein the porosity of the porous water management layer is equal to or more than 30 vol % and equal to or less than 85 vol %, and the hydrophilicity thereof is equal to or more than 0.05 and equal to or less than 1; and a gas diffusion layer arranged adjacent to the porous water management layer.

6 . The membrane electrode assembly for the fuel cell according to claim 5 , wherein the thickness of the porous water management layer is equal to or more than 1 μm and equal to or less than 10 μm.

7 . The membrane electrode assembly for the fuel cell according to claim 5 , wherein the hydrophilic material is a hydrophilic polymer.

8 . The membrane electrode assembly for the fuel cell according to claim 7 , wherein the hydrophilic polymer is an ionomer having ion conduction property.

9 . A fuel cell comprising:
a first electrode capable of operating as an anode; means for supplying fuel to the first electrode; a separator arranged adjacent to the first electrode; a second electrode arranged adjacent to the separator and capable of operating as a cathode; and means for supplying an oxidizing agent to the second electrode, wherein at least one of the first and second electrodes includes: a catalyst layer having a noble metal catalyst unit 22 that has a porous structure or a layer-by-layer structure including void layers and having a noble metal catalyst unit of which size is equal to or more than 0.05 μm and equal to or less than 2 μm and a hydrophilic material; a porous water management layer arranged adjacent to the catalyst layer and including a hydrophilic material and a conductive material, wherein the porosity of the porous water management layer is equal to or more than 30 vol % and equal to or less than 85 vol %, and the hydrophilicity thereof is equal to or more than 0.05 and equal to or less than 1; and a gas diffusion layer arranged adjacent to the porous water management layer.

10 . The fuel cell according to claim 9 , wherein the thickness of the porous water management layer is equal to or more than 1 μm and equal to or less than 10 μm.

11 . The fuel cell according to claim 9 , wherein the hydrophilic material is a hydrophilic polymer.

12 . The fuel cell according to claim 11 , wherein the hydrophilic polymer is an ionomer having ion conduction property.

Assignees

• Toshiba Kk

Inventors

• Yang Tianyi
• Mei Wu
• Fukazawa Taishi

Classifications

• H01M8/1004

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

• H01M8/04291 Primary

  Arrangements for managing water in solid electrolyte fuel cell systems (H01M8/04119 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01M2008/1095

  Fuel cells with polymeric electrolytes · CPC title

• H01M4/8663

  Selection of inactive substances as ingredients for catalytic active masses, e.g. binders, fillers · CPC title

• H01M4/8605

  Porous electrodes · CPC title