Novel catalyst layer composition for improved performance of membrane assembly electrode with ionic liquid

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020220190-A1
Application number	US-201916239082-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 3, 2019
Priority date	Jan 3, 2019
Publication date	Jul 9, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

A membrane electrode assembly for a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell includes an anodic catalyst layer, a cathodic catalyst layer, and a polymer electrolyte membrane mediating protic communication between the anodic and cathodic catalyst layers. The cathodic catalyst layer includes an ionic liquid, 1-methyl-2,3,4,6,7,8-hexahydro-1H-pyrimido[1,2-a]pyrimidin-9-ium 1,1,2,2,3,3,4,4,4-nonafluorobutane-1-sulfonate, in admixture with carbon-supported particles of platinum or a platinum alloy. The ionic liquid improves performance in both high moisture and low moisture operating conditions.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A membrane electrode assembly (MEA) for a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell, the MEA comprising:
an anodic catalyst layer comprising:
carbon supported anodic catalyst particles, the anodic catalyst particles comprising particles of a metal selected from the group consisting of:
platinum; and
a platinum alloy;

a cathodic catalyst layer comprising a mixture of:
carbon supported cathodic catalyst particles, the cathodic catalyst particles comprising particles of a metal selected from the group consisting of:
platinum; and
a platinum alloy; and

an ionic liquid, comprising 1-methyl-2,3,4,6,7,8-hexahydro-1H-pyrimido[1,2-a]pyrimidin-9-ium 1,1,2,2,3,3,4,4,4-nonafluorobutane-1-sulfonate ([MTBD] [C 4 F 9 SO 3 ]); and
a polymer electrolyte membrane mediating protic communication between the anodic catalyst layer and the cathodic catalyst layer.

2 . The MEA as recited in claim 1 , wherein the cathodic catalyst particles comprise a platinum alloy.

3 . The MEA as recited in claim 1 , wherein the cathodic catalyst particles comprise a platinum-cobalt alloy.

4 . The MEA as recited in claim 3 , wherein a weight ratio of platinum to cobalt in the platinum-cobalt alloy of the cathodic catalyst layer is about 10:1.

5 . The MEA as recited in claim 1 , wherein a weight ratio of ionic liquid to carbon-supported cathodic catalyst particles is about 1:10.

6 . The MEA as recited in claim 1 , wherein the polymer electrolyte membrane comprises perfluorosulfonic acid.

7 . The MEA as recited in claim 1 , wherein the cathodic catalyst layer comprises a solid ionomer.

8 . A membrane electrode assembly (MEA) for a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell, the MEA comprising:
an anodic catalyst layer comprising a mixture of:
carbon supported anodic catalyst particles, the anodic catalyst particles comprising particles of a metal selected from the group consisting of:
platinum; and
a platinum alloy; and

an ionic liquid, comprising 1-methyl-2,3,4,6,7,8-hexahydro-1H-pyrimido[1,2-a]pyrimidin-9-ium 1,1,2,2,3,3,4,4,4-nonafluorobutane-1-sulfonate ([MTBD] [C 4 F 9 SO 3 ]);
a cathodic catalyst layer comprising a mixture of:
carbon supported cathodic catalyst particles, the cathodic catalyst particles comprising particles of a metal selected from the group consisting of:
platinum; and
a platinum alloy; and

an ionic liquid, comprising ([MTBD][C 4 F 9 SO 3 ]); and
a polymer electrolyte membrane mediating protic communication between the anodic catalyst layer and the cathodic catalyst layer.

9 . The MEA as recited in claim 8 , wherein the cathodic catalyst particles comprise a platinum alloy.

10 . The MEA as recited in claim 8 , wherein the cathodic catalyst particles comprise a platinum-cobalt alloy.

11 . The MEA as recited in claim 10 , wherein a weight ratio of platinum to cobalt in the platinum-cobalt alloy in the cathodic catalyst layer is about 10:1.

12 . The MEA as recited in claim 8 , wherein a weight ratio of ionic liquid to carbon-supported cathodic catalyst particles in the cathodic catalyst layer is about 1:10.

13 . The MEA as recited in claim 8 , wherein the polymer electrolyte membrane comprises perfluorosulfonic acid.

14 . The MEA as recited in claim 8 , wherein the cathodic catalyst layer comprises a solid ionomer.

15 . A polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) comprising a plurality of stacked membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs), each MEA of the plurality comprising:
an anodic catalyst layer comprising:
carbon supported anodic catalyst particles, the anodic catalyst particles comprising particles of a metal selected from the group consisting of:
platinum; and
a platinum alloy;

a cathodic catalyst layer comprising a mixture of:
carbon supported cathodic catalyst particles, the cathodic catalyst particles comprising particles of a metal selected from the group consisting of:
platinum; and
a platinum alloy; and

an ionic liquid, comprising 1-methyl-2,3,4,6,7,8-hexahydro-1H-pyrimido[1,2-a]pyrimidin-9-ium 1,1,2,2,3,3,4,4,4-nonafluorobutane-1-sulfonate ([MTBD] [C 4 F 9 SO 3 ]); and
a polymer electrolyte membrane mediating protic communication between the anodic catalyst layer and the cathodic catalyst layer.

16 . The PEMFC as recited in claim 15 , wherein the cathodic catalyst particles comprise a platinum alloy.

17 . The PEMFC as recited in claim 15 , wherein the cathodic catalyst particles comprise a platinum-cobalt alloy.

18 . The PEMFC as recited in claim 17 , wherein a weight ratio of platinum to cobalt in the platinum-cobalt alloy of the cathodic catalyst layer is about 10:1.

19 . The PEMFC as recited in claim 15 , wherein a weight ratio of ionic liquid to carbon-supported cathodic catalyst particles is about 1:10.

20 . The PEMFC as recited in claim 15 , wherein the polymer electrolyte membrane comprises perfluorosulfonic acid.

Assignees

• Toyota Eng & Mfg North America
• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Huang Kan
• Jia Hongfei
• Kato Hisao

Classifications

• H01M8/1018

  Polymeric electrolyte materials · CPC title

• H01M4/926 Primary

  on carbon or graphite · CPC title

• H01M4/921 Primary

  Alloys or mixtures with metallic elements · CPC title

• H01M8/1004 Primary

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

• H01M4/8663

  Selection of inactive substances as ingredients for catalytic active masses, e.g. binders, fillers · CPC title