Fuel cell membrane electrode assembly (mea) with hexagonal boron nitride thin film and fabrication method thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018241059-A1
Application number	US-201715854177-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 26, 2017
Priority date	Feb 23, 2017
Publication date	Aug 23, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

A fuel cell membrane electrode assembly (MEA) including a hexagonal boron nitride thin film is provided. The fuel cell MEA includes an anode layer, a hexagonal boron nitride thin film layer formed on the anode layer, an interfacial binding layer formed on the hexagonal boron nitride thin film layer, and a cathode layer formed on the interfacial binding layer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A fuel cell membrane electrode assembly (MEA) with a hexagonal boron nitride thin film, the fuel cell MEA comprising:
an anode layer; a hexagonal boron nitride thin film layer formed on the anode layer; an interfacial binding layer formed on the hexagonal boron nitride thin film layer; and a cathode layer formed on the interfacial binding layer.

2 . The fuel cell MEA of claim 1 , wherein
the interfacial binding layer comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of polytrifluorostyrene sulfonic acid (Nafion), poly(methylmethacrylate) (PMMA), platinum and a carbon supporter, the anode layer, the cathode layer or both comprise at least one catalyst particle selected from the group consisting of platinum, ruthenium, a platinum alloy and core-shell structured platinum, and the interfacial binding layer has a thickness of 2 micrometers (μm) to 50 μm.

3 . The fuel cell MEA of claim 1 , wherein the hexagonal boron nitride thin film layer has a thickness of 0.3 nanometers (nm) to 3 nm, and comprises a single exchange membrane or a plurality of exchange membranes.

4 . The fuel cell MEA of claim 3 , wherein the hexagonal boron nitride thin film layer comprising the single exchange membrane is a boron nitride monatomic layer.

5 . The fuel cell MEA of claim 1 , wherein the hexagonal boron nitride thin film layer is functionalized by at least one of H, O and F.

6 . A fuel cell membrane electrode assembly (MEA) with a hexagonal boron nitride thin film, the fuel cell MEA comprising:
an anode layer; a hexagonal boron nitride thin film layer formed on the anode layer; and a cathode layer formed on the hexagonal boron nitride thin film layer, wherein the fuel cell MEA is free of an interfacial binding layer.

7 . The fuel cell MEA of claim 6 , wherein
the anode layer, the cathode layer or both comprise at least one selected from the group consisting of a polymer ionomer of polytrifluorostyrene sulfonic acid (Nafion) or poly(methylmethacrylate) (PMMA), platinum and a carbon supporter, or the anode layer, the cathode layer or both comprise at least one polymer ionomer of polytrifluorostyrene sulfonic acid (Nafion) or PMMA, and dispersed metal catalyst particles, and the metal catalyst particles are attached to a branch of the polymer ionomer.

8 . The fuel cell MEA of claim 7 , wherein the metal catalyst particles are supported on carbon, and comprise one selected from the group consisting of platinum, ruthenium, a platinum alloy and core-shell structured platinum.

9 . The fuel cell MEA of claim 6 , wherein the hexagonal boron nitride thin film layer has a thickness of 0.3 nanometers (nm) to 3 nm.

10 . The fuel cell MEA of claim 6 , wherein the hexagonal boron nitride thin film layer comprises a single exchange membrane or a plurality of exchange membranes.

11 . The fuel cell MEA of claim 10 , wherein the hexagonal boron nitride thin film layer comprising the single exchange membrane is a boron nitride monatomic layer.

12 . The fuel cell MEA of claim 6 , wherein the hexagonal boron nitride thin film layer is functionalized by at least one of H, O and F.

13 . A fuel cell membrane electrode assembly (MEA) with a hexagonal boron nitride thin film, the fuel cell MEA comprising:
the hexagonal boron nitride thin film; and metal catalyst particles dispersedly formed on a surface of the hexagonal boron nitride thin film, wherein the fuel cell MEA is free of an organic binder and an interfacial binding layer.

14 . The fuel cell MEA of claim 13 , wherein the metal catalyst particles comprise at least one selected from the group consisting of platinum, ruthenium, a platinum alloy and core-shell structured platinum.

15 . The fuel cell MEA of claim 13 , wherein the metal catalyst particles have a size of 3 nanometers (nm) to 7 nm.

16 . The fuel cell MEA of claim 13 , wherein the metal catalyst particles are included in an amount of 0.1 milligram per square centimeter (mg/cm 2 ) to 0.2 mg/cm 2 per unit area of the hexagonal boron nitride thin film.

17 . The fuel cell MEA of claim 13 , wherein
the hexagonal boron nitride thin film comprises a single exchange membrane or a plurality of exchange membranes, and the exchange membrane comprises a boron nitride monatomic layer.

18 . The fuel cell MEA of claim 13 , wherein the hexagonal boron nitride thin film is functionalized by at least one of H, O and F.

19 . The fuel cell MEA of claim 13 , wherein the hexagonal boron nitride thin film including the dispersedly formed metal catalyst particles functions as a thin film, a cathode and an anode of a fuel cell.

20 . A fuel cell membrane electrode assembly (MEA) with a hexagonal boron nitride thin film, wherein the fuel cell membrane electrode assembly is free of a fuel cell electrode.

Assignees

• Ulsan Nat Inst Science & Tech Unist
• Korea Inst Energy Res

Inventors

• Shin Hyeon Suk
• Yoon Seong In
• Kim Gwangwoo
• Kim Tae-Young
• Seo Dong Jun

Classifications

• H01M8/1004 Primary

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

• H01M8/0271

  Sealing or supporting means around electrodes, matrices or membranes · CPC title

• H01M8/0243

  in the form of mixtures · CPC title

• H01M4/921

  Alloys or mixtures with metallic elements · CPC title

• H01M8/1018

  Polymeric electrolyte materials · CPC title