Method for manufacturing electrolyte membrane for fuel cells and electrolyte membrane manufactured by the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019334189-A1
Application number	US-201816194963-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 19, 2018
Priority date	Apr 26, 2018
Publication date	Oct 31, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

Disclosed is a method of manufacturing an electrolyte membrane for fuel cells. The method includes preparing an electrolyte layer including one or more ion conductive polymers that form a proton movement channel, and permeating a gas from a first surface of the electrolyte layer to a second surface of the electrolyte layer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method of manufacturing an electrolyte membrane for fuel cells comprising:
preparing an electrolyte layer comprising one or more ion conductive polymers, wherein a proton movement channel is formed by the one or more ion conductive polymers; and permeating a gas from a first surface of the electrolyte layer to a second surface of the electrolyte layer to reduce tortuosity of the proton movement channel.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a tortuosity of the proton movement channel is reduced by the permeating the gas.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein, each of the one or more ion conductive polymers comprise a main-chain comprising polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and a side-chain comprising sulfonic acid group (—SO 3 H).

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte layer has a thickness of about 5 to 100 μm.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte layer comprises:
a first layer comprising the one or more ion conductive polymers; and a second layer comprising the one or more ion conductive polymers and a support having a three-dimensional network structure, wherein the first layer and the second layer are disposed adjacent to each other such that ions are movable between the first layer and the second layer.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the support comprises one or more of selected from expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (e-PTFE), and porous ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE).

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the porous ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene has an atomic weight of about 3.5 to 7.5 Mamu.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the gas comprises one or more selected from the group consisting of water vapor (H 2 O), ethanol (C 2 H 5 OH), and propanol (C 3 H 7 OH).

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the gas is permeated by heating to a temperature ranging from a first heating temperature that is about 2° C. higher than a α-transition temperature (Tα) of the ion conductive polymer to 200° C.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the gas has a boiling point less than the first heating temperature.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the gas permeates the electrolyte layer at a saturated vapor pressure of the gas.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the saturated vapor pressure of the gas is of about 0.01 to 1 MPa.

13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the gas permeates in an amount of about 0.1 to 10 [mg/cm 2 ·min] per unit time and unit area.

14 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the gas permeates from the first surface to the second surface by making a concentration of the gas at the first surface greater than that at the second surface in the electrolyte layer.

15 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the gas permeates from the first surface to the second surface by making a pressure at the first surface greater than that at the second surface in the electrolyte layer.

16 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the gas is heated.

17 . An electrolyte membrane manufactured by a method of claim 1 .

18 . A fuel cell comprising an electrolyte membrane of claim 17 .

19 . A vehicle comprising a fuel cell of claim 18 .

Assignees

• Hyundai Motor Co Ltd
• Kia Motors Corp

Inventors

• Yun Sukhwan
• Hong Bo Ki

Classifications

• H01M8/1069

  characterised by the manufacturing processes · CPC title

• H01M8/1086 Primary

  After-treatment of the membrane other than by polymerisation · CPC title

• H01M2008/1095

  Fuel cells with polymeric electrolytes · CPC title

• H01M8/1093

  mechanical, e.g. pressing, puncturing · CPC title

• H01M8/109

  thermal other than drying, e.g. sintering · CPC title