Fuel cell and method of manufacturing same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016372757-A1
Application number	US-201414902263-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 31, 2014
Priority date	Nov 1, 2013
Publication date	Dec 22, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present application relates to a fuel cell and a method of manufacturing the same.

First claim

1 . A fuel cell comprising: a cathode;
an anode; and an electrolyte membrane provided between the cathode and the anode, wherein at least one of the cathode and the anode includes a carrier-hollow metal nanoparticle complex where a hollow metal nanoparticle including a hollow core portion; a shell portion including a first metal and a second metal; and a cavity ranging from an external surface of the shell portion to the hollow core in one or two or more regions of the shell portion is carried in a carrier.

2 . The fuel cell of claim 1 , wherein the hollow metal nanoparticle includes one cavity.

3 . The fuel cell of claim 1 , wherein a particle diameter of the hollow metal nanoparticle is 1 nm or more and 30 nm or less.

4 . The fuel cell of claim 1 , wherein the hollow metal nanoparticle has a sphere shape.

5 . The fuel cell of claim 1 , wherein a diameter of the cavity is 5% or more and 30% or less of a particle diameter of the hollow metal nanoparticle.

6 . The fuel cell of claim 1 , wherein a thickness of the shell portion is more than 0 nm and 5 nm or less.

7 . The fuel cell of claim 1 , wherein a particle diameter of the hollow metal nanoparticle is in a range of 80% to 120% of an average particle diameter of the hollow metal nanoparticles.

8 . The fuel cell of claim 1 , wherein a volume of the hollow core portion is 50 vol % or more of the hollow metal nanoparticle.

9 . The fuel cell of claim 1 , wherein the hollow core portion includes a surfactant.

10 . The fuel cell of claim 1 , wherein an atomic percentage ratio of the first metal and the second metal of the shell portion is 1:5 to 10:1.

11 . The fuel cell of claim 1 , wherein the shell portion includes a first shell including the first metal; and a second shell including the second metal.

12 . The fuel cell of claim 1 , wherein the shell portion includes a first shell where a content of the first metal is higher than a content of the second metal; and a second shell where the content of the second metal is higher than the content of the first metal.

13 . The fuel cell of claim 1 , wherein the first metal and the second metal are each independently at least one selected from the group consisting of a metal belonging to Group III to XV on a periodic table, a metalloid, a lanthanum metal, and an actinium metal.

14 . The fuel cell of claim 1 , wherein the first metal and the second metal are each independently at least one selected from the group consisting of platinum (Pt); ruthenium (Ru); rhodium (Rh); molybdenum (Mo); osmium (Os); iridium (Ir); rhenium (Re); palladium (Pd); vanadium (V); tungsten (W); cobalt (Co); iron (Fe); selenium (Se); nickel (Ni); bismuth (Bi); tin (Sn); chromium (Cr); titanium (Ti); gold (Au); cerium (Ce); silver (Ag); and copper (Cu).

15 . The fuel cell of claim 1 , wherein the carrier is a carbon-based material.

16 - 17 . (canceled)

18 . The fuel cell of claim 1 , wherein a carrying ratio of the hollow metal nanoparticle to the carrier is 10 wt % to 70 wt %.

19 . The fuel cell of claim 1 , wherein the first metal or the second metal are different from each other, and the first metal or the second metal is nickel.

20 . The fuel cell of claim 1 , wherein the first metal or the second metal are different from each other, and the first metal or the second metal is platinum.

21 . The fuel cell of claim 1 , wherein the first metal is nickel and the second metal is platinum.

22 . A method of manufacturing a fuel cell, comprising:
preparing an electrolyte membrane; forming a cathode on one surface of the electrolyte membrane; and forming an anode on another surface of the electrolyte membrane, wherein at least one of the cathode and the anode includes a carrier-hollow metal nanoparticle complex where a hollow metal nanoparticle including a hollow core portion; a shell portion including a first metal and a second metal; and a cavity ranging from an external surface of the shell portion to the hollow core in one or two or more regions of the shell portion is carried in a carrier.

23 . The method of claim 22 , wherein at least one of the forming of the cathode and the forming of the anode further includes manufacturing the carrier-hollow metal nanoparticle complex, and
the manufacturing of the carrier-hollow metal nanoparticle complex includes forming a solution including a solvent, a first metal salt providing a first metal ion or an atomic group ion including the first metal ion in the solvent, a second metal salt providing a second metal ion or an atomic group ion including the second metal ion in the solvent, a first surfactant forming a micelle in the solvent, and a second surfactant forming the micelle together with the first surfactant in the solvent; adding the carrier to the solution to perform agitation; and adding a reducing agent to the solution to form the hollow metal nanoparticle on the carrier.

Assignees

• Lg Chemical Ltd

Inventors

• Kim Kwanghyun
• Hwang Gyo Hyun
• Kim Sang Hoon
• Cho Jun Yeon

Classifications

• B82Y40/00

  Manufacture or treatment of nanostructures · CPC title

• H01M4/8626 Primary

  characterised by the form · CPC title

• H01M4/88

  Processes of manufacture · CPC title

• B22F2304/054

  Particle size between 1 and 100 nm · CPC title

• B22F2301/25

  Noble metals, i.e. Ag Au, Ir, Os, Pd, Pt, Rh, Ru · CPC title