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

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022200032-A1
Application number	US-202217690561-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 9, 2022
Priority date	Apr 26, 2018
Publication date	Jun 23, 2022
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

1 - 19 . (canceled)

20 . 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, 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, and wherein the first surface and second surface are opposite to each other, and wherein the first surface of the electrolyte layer is brought in contact with a sealed chamber including the gas.

21 . The method of claim 20 , wherein a tortuosity of the proton movement channel is reduced by the permeating the gas.

22 . The method of claim 20 , 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).

23 . The method of claim 20 , wherein the electrolyte layer has a thickness of about 5 to 100 μm.

24 . The method of claim 20 , 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.

25 . The method of claim 24 , wherein the support comprises one or more of selected from expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (e-PTFE), and porous ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE).

26 . The method of claim 25 , wherein the porous ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene has an atomic weight of about 3.5 to 7.5 Mamu.

27 . The method of claim 20 , 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).

28 . The method of claim 20 , 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 (Ta) of the ion conductive polymer to 200° C.

29 . The method of claim 28 , wherein the gas has a boiling point less than the first heating temperature.

30 . The method of claim 20 , wherein the gas permeates the electrolyte layer at a saturated vapor pressure of the gas.

31 . The method of claim 30 , wherein the saturated vapor pressure of the gas is of about 0.01 to 1 MPa.

32 . The method of claim 20 , wherein the gas permeates in an amount of about 0.1 to 10 [mg/cm 2 ·min] per unit time and unit area.

33 . The method of claim 20 , 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.

34 . The method of claim 20 , wherein the gas is heated.

35 . An electrolyte membrane manufactured by a method of claim 20 .

36 . A fuel cell comprising an electrolyte membrane of claim 35 .

37 . A vehicle comprising a fuel cell of claim 36 .

Assignees

• Hyundai Motor Co Ltd
• Kia Corp

Inventors

• Yun Sukhwan
• Hong Chae Hwan

Classifications

• H01M8/1039

  halogenated, e.g. sulfonated polyvinylidene fluorides · CPC title

• H01M8/109

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

• H01M8/1062

  characterised by the physical properties of the porous support, e.g. its porosity or thickness · 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