Water decomposition device and method of manufacturing the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020063271-A1
Application number	US-201816169709-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 24, 2018
Priority date	Aug 21, 2018
Publication date	Feb 27, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

A water decomposition device may include a hydrogen-generating electrode including a first external electrode and at least one first internal electrode formed integrally with the first external electrode, and an oxygen-generating electrode including a second external electrode and at least one second internal electrode formed integrally with the second external electrode. The first external electrode and the second external electrode are disposed to face each other, and the first internal electrode and the second internal electrode are disposed alternately in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction thereof. Therefore, the water decomposition device may secure both transparency and durability even when an opaque material is used therefor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A water decomposition device comprising:
a hydrogen-generating electrode including a first external electrode and at least one first internal electrode formed integrally with the first external electrode; and an oxygen-generating electrode including a second external electrode and at least one second internal electrode formed integrally with the second external electrode, wherein the first external electrode and the second external electrode are disposed to face each other, and wherein the first internal electrode and the second internal electrode are disposed alternately in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal direction thereof.

2 . The water decomposition device according to claim 1 , wherein the first internal electrode and the second internal electrode are spaced from each other in a predetermined interval of 10 to 500 μm.

3 . The water decomposition device according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first external electrode, the first internal electrode, the second external electrode or the second internal electrode has at least one hole formed therein.

4 . The water decomposition device according to claim 3 , wherein the at least one hole has a circular shape.

5 . The water decomposition device according to claim 4 , wherein the at least one hole has a diameter which is 80 to 95% of a width of a corresponding one of the first external electrode, the first internal electrode, the second external electrode and the second internal electrode.

6 . The water decomposition device according to claim 5 , wherein each of the first external electrode, the first internal electrode, the second external electrode and the second internal electrode has a width of 100 μm or less.

7 . The water decomposition device according to claim 5 , wherein a diameter of the at least one hole is 80 to 95 μm.

8 . The water decomposition device according to claim 5 ,
wherein the at least one hole includes a hole having a regular polygonal shape, and wherein the hole having the regular polygonal shape has a same area as the circular hole.

9 . The water decomposition device according to claim 5 , wherein the at least one hole formed in a corresponding one of the first external electrode, the first internal electrode, the second external electrode and the second internal electrode includes at least two holes.

10 . The water decomposition device according to claim 9 , wherein the at least two holes are formed such that each center thereof is aligned with a center of a width of a corresponding one of the first external electrode, the first internal electrode, the second external electrode and the second internal electrode.

11 . The water decomposition device according to claim 10 , wherein, when the at least two holes have a same diameter as each other, a shortest distance from a center of one hole to another hole of the at least two holes is equal to a length equivalent to half the width of the corresponding one of the first external electrode, the first internal electrode, the second external electrode and the second internal electrode.

12 . The water decomposition device according to claim 11 , wherein the shortest distance is 50 μm or less.

13 . The water decomposition device according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the hydrogen-generating electrode or the oxygen-generating electrode includes:
a substrate; an electrode layer formed on a surface of the substrate; and a catalyst layer electrodeposited on a surface of the electrode layer.

14 . The water decomposition device according to claim 13 , wherein the substrate is made of at least one selected from the group consisting of polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylene naphthalate, and polydimethylsiloxane.

15 . The water decomposition device according to claim 13 , wherein the electrode layer is made of at least one selected from the group consisting of nickel, titanium, copper, iron, aluminum, stainless steel, indium tin oxide (ITO), and fluorinated tin oxide (FTO).

16 . The water decomposition device according to claim 15 , wherein the electrode layer has a thickness which is less than a skin depth with respect to a visible light frequency range.

17 . The water decomposition device according to claim 13 , wherein the catalyst layer is made of at least one selected from the group consisting of nickel, nickel oxide, nickel sulfide, nickel-copper phosphide, platinum, iridium, and rubidium.

18 . The water decomposition device according to claim 17 , wherein the catalyst layer has a thickness which is greater than 150 nm and less than 5 μm.

19 . A method of manufacturing a water decomposition device, the method comprising:
forming a predetermined pattern on at least one of a first substrate or a second substrate using one of photoresist lithography and nanoimprint lithography; forming a metal layer on a surface of the at least one of the first substrate or the second substrate that has the pattern thereon; and electrodepositing a catalyst layer on a surface of the metal layer.

20 . The method according to claim 19 , wherein the predetermined pattern includes:
a first external line and at least one first internal line formed integrally with the first external line, the first external line and the first internal line being formed on the first substrate; and a second external line and at least one second internal line formed integrally with the second external line, the second external line and the second internal line being formed on the second substrate, wherein the first external line and the second external line face each other, and the first internal line and the second internal line are disposed alternately in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal direction thereof.

21 . The method according to claim 20 , wherein the first internal line and the second internal line are spaced from each other in a predetermined interval of 10 to 500 μm.

22 . The method according to claim 20 , wherein at least one of the first external line, the first internal line, the second external line or the second internal line has at least one hole formed therein.

23 . The method according to claim 22 , wherein the at least one hole has a circular shape.

24 . The method according to claim 23 , wherein the at least one hole has a diameter which is 80 to 95% of a width of a corresponding one of the first external line, the first internal line, the second external line and the second internal line.

25 . The method according to claim 24 ,
wherein the at least one hole includes a hole having a regular polygonal shape, and wherein the hole having the regular polygonal shape has a same area as the circular hole.

26 . The method according to claim 22 , wherein the at least one hole formed in a corresponding one of the first external line, the first internal line, the second external line and the second internal line includes at least two holes.

27 . The method according to claim 26 , wherein the at least two hole are formed such that each center thereof is aligned with a center of a width of a corresponding one of the first external line, the first internal line, the second external line and the second internal line.

28 . The method according to claim 27 , wherein, when the at least two hole has a same diameter as each other, a shortest distance fro

Assignees

• Hyundai Motor Co Ltd
• Kia Motors Corp
• Ulsan Nat Inst Science & Tech Unist

Inventors

• Park Jang Su
• Kim Hee Jun
• Lee Taewon
• Baik Jeong Min

Classifications

• C25B11/03

  perforated or foraminous · CPC title

• C25B9/00

  Cells or assemblies of cells; Constructional parts of cells; Assemblies of constructional parts, e.g. electrode-diaphragm assemblies; Process-related cell features · CPC title

• C25B1/04 Primary

  by electrolysis of water · CPC title

• F21S45/30

  Ventilation or drainage of lighting devices · CPC title

• C25B11/02

  characterised by shape or form · CPC title