Method for producing a membrane electrode assembly for a fuel cell, and production line

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020091533-A1
Application number	US-201716470770-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 8, 2017
Priority date	Dec 20, 2016
Publication date	Mar 19, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method for manufacturing a membrane electrode assembly for a fuel cell, comprising a membrane, two reinforcers, two seals, gas diffusion layers and a catalyst, comprises the following steps: a step during which a seal is applied to each of the reinforcers using screen printing, a step during which a catalytic chemical element is applied to the membrane, a step during which a reinforcement bearing a screen-printed seal is thermally bonded to each of the faces of the catalysed membrane, and a step during which a gas diffusion layer is applied to each of the faces of the catalysed membrane bearing a reinforcer and a seal, the method being such that the various elements are held on a support by suction during at least some of the steps of the method. There is also a corresponding production line.

First claim

1 .- 8 . (canceled)

9 . A method for manufacturing a membrane electrode assembly for a fuel cell, comprising elements including a membrane, two reinforcers, two seals, gas diffusion layers and a catalyst, the method comprising the following steps:
applying a seal to each of the reinforcers using screen printing; applying a catalytic chemical element to the membrane; thermally bonding a reinforcer bearing a screen-printed seal to each of the faces of the catalyzed membrane; and applying a gas diffusion layer to each of the faces of the catalyzed membrane bearing a reinforcer and a seal, wherein the elements are held on a support by suction during at least some of the steps of the method.

10 . The method according to claim 9 , wherein the applying a catalytic chemical element step is performed using a direct-deposition method selected from the group consisting of flexography, screen printing and coating.

11 . The method according to claim 9 , wherein the applying a catalytic chemical element step is performed using an indirect-deposition method including the following steps:
applying the catalytic chemical element to a Teflon support using a method selected from the group consisting of flexography, screen printing and coating; and transferring the catalytic chemical element from the support onto the membrane using a hot rolling method.

12 . The method according to claim 10 , wherein the applying a catalytic chemical element step further comprises a step of drying the catalyst.

13 . The method according to claim 9 , wherein the applying a seal step comprises a step of polymerization and of drying of the seal.

14 . The method according to claim 9 , wherein the applying a seal step comprises a step of inspecting the quality of the seal.

15 . The method according to claim 9 , wherein the thermally bonding step is performed at a temperature between 100° C. and 150° C.

16 . A production line for manufacturing membrane electrode assemblies comprising a circuit allowing a carriage, on which is installed a mold made up of porous metal segments, to be moved from one manufacturing workstation to another, each workstation allowing implementation of at least one step according to the method of claim 9 .

Assignees

• Michelin & Cie

Inventors

• Joye Olivier

Classifications

• H01M8/0286

  Processes for forming seals · CPC title

• H01M8/1004 Primary

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

• H01M8/04149

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

• H01M4/8896

  Pressing, rolling, calendering (membrane electrode assemblies H01M8/1004) · CPC title

• H01M2008/1095

  Fuel cells with polymeric electrolytes · CPC title