Membrane electrode assembly and fuel cell including the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017263965-A1
Application number	US-201615289631-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 10, 2016
Priority date	Mar 10, 2016
Publication date	Sep 14, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A membrane electrode assembly includes a polymer electrolyte membrane; a first electrode layer disposed on an upper surface of the polymer electrolyte membrane; and a second electrode layer disposed on a lower surface of the polymer electrolyte membrane. At least one end of the polymer electrolyte membrane is bent upward along a side of the first electrode layer and extends to an upper surface of the first electrode layer or is bent downward along a side of the second electrode layer and extends to a lower surface of the second electrode layer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A membrane electrode assembly comprising:
a polymer electrolyte membrane; a first electrode layer disposed on an upper surface of the polymer electrolyte membrane; and a second electrode layer disposed on a lower surface of the polymer electrolyte membrane, wherein at least one end of the polymer electrolyte membrane is bent upward along a side of the first electrode layer and extends to an upper surface of the first electrode layer or is bent downward along a side of the second electrode layer and extends to a lower surface of the second electrode layer.

2 . The membrane electrode assembly according to claim 1 , wherein a first end of the polymer electrolyte membrane is bent upward along the side of the first electrode layer and extends to the upper surface of the first electrode layer, and a second end of the polymer electrolyte membrane is bent downward along the side of the second electrode layer and extends to the lower surface of the second electrode layer.

3 . The membrane electrode assembly according to claim 2 , wherein the sides of the first and second electrode layers are aligned vertically with the bent portions of the polymer electrolyte membrane respectively adjacent thereto.

4 . The membrane electrode assembly according to claim 1 , wherein one end of the polymer electrolyte membrane is bent upward to extend to the upper surface of the first electrode layer or downward to extend to the lower surface of the second electrode layer.

5 . The membrane electrode assembly according to claim 1 , wherein two ends of the polymer electrolyte membrane are bent in the same direction so as to extend to the upper surface of the first electrode layer or the lower surface of the second electrode layer.

6 . The membrane electrode assembly according to claim 1 , wherein at least one end of the polymer electrolyte membrane is horizontally divided into upper and lower portions, the upper portion being bent upward along the side of the first electrode layer and extending to the upper surface of the first electrode layer, and the lower portion being bent downward along the side of the second electrode layer and extending to the lower surface of the second electrode layer.

7 . The membrane electrode assembly according to claim 1 , wherein:
the polymer electrolyte membrane comprises a first electrolyte membrane facing the first electrode layer and a second electrolyte membrane facing the second electrode layer; and at least one end of the first electrolyte membrane is bent upward along the side of the first electrode layer and extends to the upper surface of the first electrode layer, and at least one end of the second electrolyte membrane is bent downward along the side of the second electrode layer and extends to the lower surface of the second electrode layer.

8 . A fuel cell comprising:
a membrane electrode assembly according to claim 1 ; and upper and lower separators disposed in respective upper and lower portions of the membrane electrode assembly, and comprising respective gaskets forming a sealed structure of the membrane electrode assembly.

9 . The fuel cell according to claim 8 , wherein the membrane electrode assembly is disposed inside the sealed structure formed by the gaskets.

10 . The fuel cell according to claim 8 , further comprising a sub-gasket formed in an edge region of the membrane electrode assembly.

11 . The fuel cell according to claim 10 , wherein the sub-gasket seals a side of the membrane electrode assembly, and the bent end of the polymer electrolyte membrane extending to an upper or lower surface of the first or second electrode layer is exposed to the outside of the sub-gasket.

12 . The fuel cell according to claim 10 , wherein the membrane electrode assembly and the sub-gasket are integrally formed.

13 . The fuel cell according to claim 8 , further comprising gas diffusion layers disposed between the membrane electrode assembly and the respective upper and lower separators.

14 . The fuel cell according to claim 13 , wherein the membrane electrode assembly and the gas diffusion layers are integrally formed.

15 . The fuel cell according to claim 13 , wherein water molecules are supplied into the gas diffusion layers from the end of the membrane electrode assembly extending to the upper surface of the first electrode layer or the lower surface of the second electrode layer.

16 . The fuel cell according to claim 13 , further comprising a frame bonded to a lamination structure of the membrane electrode assembly and the gas diffusion layers so as to fix the lamination structure.

17 . The fuel cell according to claim 16 , wherein the membrane electrode assembly, the gas diffusion layers, and the frame are integrally formed.

18 . A membrane electrode assembly comprising:
a first electrode layer; a second electrode layer; and a polymer electrolyte membrane disposed between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer; wherein at least one side end of the polymer electrolyte membrane is bent upward around a side end of the first electrode layer so as to extend to an upper surface of the first electrode layer; and/or wherein at least one side end of the polymer electrolyte membrane is bent downward around a side end of the second electrode layer so as to extend to a lower surface of the second electrode layer.

Assignees

• Hyundai Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Jeong Byeong-Heon

Classifications

• H01M8/0276

  Sealing means characterised by their form (H01M8/0273 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01M8/1006 Primary

  Corrugated, curved or wave-shaped MEA · CPC title

• H01M2008/1095

  Fuel cells with polymeric electrolytes · CPC title

• H01M8/0273

  with sealing or supporting means in the form of a frame · CPC title

• H01M8/04149

  by diffusion, e.g. making use of membranes · CPC title