Membrane electrode assembly and electrochemical cell

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017077539-A1
Application number	US-201615241524-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 19, 2016
Priority date	Aug 20, 2015
Publication date	Mar 16, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

In one embodiment, a membrane electrode assembly comprises a catalyst layer being porous and containing a catalyst material, the catalyst layer comprising a plurality of catalyst units each having a porous body structure or a laminated structure containing a void layer, and an electrolyte membrane adjacent to the porous catalyst layer. The catalyst unit bites into the electrolyte membrane, and an average biting ratio is not less than 10%, and not more than 80% of a thickness of the catalyst layer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A membrane electrode assembly comprising:
a catalyst layer being porous and containing a catalyst material; the catalyst layer comprising a plurality of catalyst units each having a porous body structure or a laminated structure containing a void layer; and an electrolyte membrane adjacent to the porous catalyst layer; wherein the catalyst unit bites into the electrolyte membrane, and an average biting ratio is not less than 10%, and not more than 80% of a thickness of the catalyst layer.

2 . The membrane electrode assembly according to claim 1 , wherein:
the catalyst unit has a porosity of not less than 50%.

3 . The membrane electrode assembly according to claim 1 , wherein:
a biting uniformity coefficient of the catalyst layer is within 5 times.

4 . The membrane electrode assembly according to claim 2 , wherein:
a biting uniformity coefficient of the catalyst layer is within 5 times.

5 . The membrane electrode assembly according to claim 1 , wherein:
the prescribed catalyst material is at least one kind selected from a group of noble metal elements consisting of Pt, Ru, Rh, Os, Ir, Pd and Au.

6 . The membrane electrode assembly according to claim 2 , wherein:
the prescribed catalyst material is at least one kind selected from a group of noble metal elements consisting of Pt, Ru, Rh, Os, Ir, Pd and Au.

7 . The membrane electrode assembly according to claim 3 , wherein:
the prescribed catalyst material is at least one kind selected from a group of noble metal elements consisting of Pt, Ru, Rh, Os, Ir, Pd and Au.

8 . An electrochemical cell comprising:
a first electrode capable of operating as an anode; an electrolyte membrane arranged adjacent to the first electrode; and a second electrode arranged adjacent to the electrolyte membrane and capable of operating as a cathode; wherein at least one of the first and second electrodes comprises a catalyst layer containing a catalyst material, the catalyst layer comprises a plurality of catalyst units each having a porous body structure or a laminated structure containing a void layer, and the catalyst unit bites into the electrolyte membrane, and an average biting ratio is not less than 10%, and not more than 80% of a thickness of the catalyst layer.

Assignees

• Toshiba Kk

Inventors

• Mei Wu
• Fukazawa Taishi
• Yang Tianyi

Classifications

• H01M4/8626

  characterised by the form · CPC title

• H01M8/1004 Primary

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

• H01M4/8657

  layered · CPC title

• H01M2008/1095

  Fuel cells with polymeric electrolytes · CPC title

• H01M4/92

  Metals of platinum group (H01M4/94 {, H01M4/9058} take precedence) · CPC title