Catalysed membrane

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022344694-A1
Application number	US-202017596614-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 21, 2020
Priority date	Aug 22, 2019
Publication date	Oct 27, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present invention provides a catalysed ion-conducting membrane comprising an ion-conducting membrane, an electrocatalyst layer having two opposing faces, and a layer A comprising an ion-conducting material and a carbon containing material. Also provided are methods for preparing the catalysed ion-conducting membrane.

First claim

1 - 9 . (canceled)

10 . A catalysed ion-conducting membrane comprising an ion-conducting membrane, an electrocatalyst layer having two opposing faces, and a layer A, wherein:
the layer A and the ion-conducting membrane are adjacent to opposite faces of the electrocatalyst layer; the layer A comprises an ion-conducting material I A and a carbon containing material C A ; the electrocatalyst layer comprises an ion-conducting material I B and an electrocatalyst; wherein the layer A does not comprise an electrocatalyst; and the layer A has a permeability, k 1 , of greater than 20 nm 2 ; and the electrocatalyst layer has a permeability, k 2 , of no more than 20 nm 2 ; and the weight ratio of ion-conducting material I A to carbon containing material C A in layer A is in the range of and including 2:1 to 1:2.

11 . The catalysed ion-conducting membrane according to claim 10 , wherein the layer A is hydrophobic.

12 . The catalysed ion-conducting membrane according to claim 10 , wherein the electrocatalyst is supported.

13 . The catalysed ion-conducting membrane according to claim 12 , wherein the electrocatalyst is supported on a carbon containing material C B .

14 . The catalysed ion-conducting membrane according to claim 10 , wherein the electrocatalyst layer is a cathode electrocatalyst layer.

15 . A membrane electrode assembly comprising the catalysed ion-conducting membrane according to claim 10 .

16 . A fuel cell comprising the catalysed ion-conducting membrane according to claim 10 , or a membrane electrode assembly comprising an ion-conducting membrane, an electrocatalyst layer having two opposing faces, and a layer A, wherein:
the layer A and the ion-conducting membrane are adjacent to opposite faces of the electrocatalyst layer; the layer A comprises an ion-conducting material I A and a carbon containing material C A ; the electrocatalyst layer comprises an ion-conducting material I B and an electrocatalyst; wherein the layer A does not comprise an electrocatalyst; and the layer A has a permeability, k 1 , of greater than 20 nm 2 ; and the electrocatalyst layer has a permeability, k 2 , of no more than 20 nm 2 ; and the weight ratio of ion-conducting material I A to carbon containing material C A in layer A is in the range of and including 2:1 to 1:2.

17 . A fuel cell comprising the membrane electrode assembly according to claim 15 .

18 . A method of preparing the catalysed ion-conducting membrane according to claim 10 , the method comprising the steps of:
i) applying an electrocatalyst layer ink onto an ion-conducting membrane and then drying the ink to form an electrocatalyst layer; then ii) applying a layer A ink onto the electrocatalyst layer then drying the ink to form a layer A.

19 . A method of preparing the catalysed ion-conducting membrane according to claim 10 , the method comprising the steps of:
i) applying a layer A ink onto a substrate then drying the ink to form a layer A; then ii) applying an electrocatalyst layer ink onto the layer A formed in step i) then drying the ink to form an electrocatalyst layer; iii) combining the layers with an ion-conducting membrane such that the electrocatalyst layer is adjacent to the ion-conducting membrane; wherein the substrate is a decal transfer substrate and step iii) is carried out by transferring the combined layers onto an ion-conducting membrane by decal transfer from the transfer substrate.

Assignees

• Johnson Matthey Fuel Cells Ltd

Inventors

• Fongalland Dash
• Sharman Jonathan

Classifications

• H01M4/881

  Electrolytic membranes · CPC title

• H01M4/8605 Primary

  Porous electrodes · CPC title

• Y02E60/50

  Fuel cells · CPC title

• H01M4/8828

  Coating with slurry or ink · CPC title

• H01M4/9083

  on carbon or graphite · CPC title