Gas diffusion layer, electrochemical cell having such a gas diffusion layer, and electrolyzer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017191175-A1
Application number	US-201515319249-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 15, 2015
Priority date	Jun 16, 2014
Publication date	Jul 6, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A gas diffusion layer is arranged between a bipolar plate and an electrode of an electrochemical cell and includes at least two layers which are layered one on top of the other layer. At least one of the two layers is designed as a spring component having a progressive spring characteristic curve.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 - 13 . (canceled)

14 . A gas diffusion layer arranged between a bipolar plate and an electrode of an electrochemical cell, said gas diffusion layer comprising:
at least two layers, one of the layers being layered on top of another one of the layers; and a spring component forming at least one of the at least two layers, said spring component having a progressive spring characteristic curve.

15 . The gas diffusion layer of claim 14 , wherein the gas diffusion layer has at least three layers, said spring component forming an outer layer of the gas diffusion layer.

16 . The gas diffusion layer of claim 14 , wherein the at least two layers have different structure and/or composition.

17 . The gas diffusion layer of claim 14 , wherein the gas diffusion layer has at three layers, a first one of the layers configured as a contacting component, a second one of the layers configured as a diffusion component, and a third one of the layers configured as the spring component.

18 . The gas diffusion layer of claim 14 , wherein the spring characteristic curve of the spring component is divided into at least two regions of differing progression.

19 . The gas diffusion layer of claim 14 , wherein the spring characteristic curve of the spring component is divided into at least three regions of differing progression.

20 . The gas diffusion layer of claim 14 , wherein the spring component is deformed up to 60% of a maximum elastic deformation when a contact pressure of up to 5 bar is applied.

21 . The gas diffusion layer of claim 14 , wherein the spring component is deformed up to 80% of a maximum elastic deformation when a contact pressure of up to 5 bar is applied.

22 . The gas diffusion layer of claim 14 , wherein the spring component is deformed between 60% to 90% of a maximum elastic deformation when a contact pressure between 5 bar and 25 bar is applied.

23 . The gas diffusion layer of claim 14 , wherein the spring component is formed from an electrically conductive material.

24 . The gas diffusion layer of claim 23 , wherein the electrically conductive material is selected from the group consisting of steel, titanium, niobium, tantalum, nickel, and any combination thereof.

25 . The gas diffusion layer of claim 14 , wherein the spring component is formed as a profiled metal sheet.

26 . The gas diffusion layer of claim 14 , wherein the spring component is formed as a mesh.

27 . The gas diffusion layer of claim 14 , wherein the spring component comprises one or more spirals.

28 . An electrochemical cell, comprising:
a bipolar plate; an electrode; and a gas diffusion layer arranged between the bipolar plate and the electrode, said gas diffusion layer including at least two layers, one of the layers being layered on top of another one of the layers, and a spring component forming at least one of the at least two layers, said spring component having a progressive spring characteristic curve.

29 . The electrochemical cell of claim 27 constructed as a PEM electrolysis cell or a galvanic cell.

30 . An electrolyzer, comprising a PEM electrolysis cell which includes a bipolar plate, an electrode, and a gas diffusion layer arranged between the bipolar plate and the electrode, said gas diffusion layer including at least two layers, one of the layers being layered on top of another one of the layers, and a spring component forming at least one of the at least two layers, said spring component having a progressive spring characteristic curve.

Assignees

• Siemens Ag

Inventors

• Hahn Alexander
• Spies Alexander
• Straub Jochen

Classifications

• H01M4/8807

  Gas diffusion layers · CPC title

• C25B9/10

  Chemistry & Metallurgy · mapped topic

• C25B11/035 Primary

  Chemistry & Metallurgy · mapped topic

• C25B1/10

  Chemistry & Metallurgy · mapped topic

• C25B1/04 Primary

  by electrolysis of water · CPC title