Membrane electrode assembly, electrochemical cell, stack, electrolyzer, and manufacturing method of membrane electrode assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2024117506-A1
Application number	US-202318459630-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 1, 2023
Priority date	Oct 3, 2022
Publication date	Apr 11, 2024
Grant date	—

Abstract

A membrane electrode assembly according to an embodiment includes a first diffusion layer; a second diffusion layer; an electrolyte membrane provided between the first diffusion layer and the second diffusion layer; a first catalyst layer provided between the first diffusion layer and the electrolyte membrane; and a second catalyst layer provided between the second diffusion layer and the electrolyte membrane, wherein the first diffusion layer includes a first surface facing the first catalyst layer, and the first surface includes a chamfered portion, and a second surface provided on an opposing side of the first surface, and the second surface includes a protrusion protruding from the side of the first surface toward the side of the second surface.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A membrane electrode assembly comprising:
a first diffusion layer; a second diffusion layer; an electrolyte membrane provided between the first diffusion layer and the second diffusion layer; a first catalyst layer provided between the first diffusion layer and the electrolyte membrane; and a second catalyst layer provided between the second diffusion layer and the electrolyte membrane, wherein the first diffusion layer includes
a first surface facing the first catalyst layer, and the first surface includes a chamfered portion, and
a second surface provided on an opposing side of the first surface, and the second surface includes a protrusion protruding from the side of the first surface toward the side of the second surface.

2 . The membrane electrode assembly according to claim 1 ,
wherein the chamfered portion includes a third surface connected to the first surface by the first connecting portion, and wherein, in a direction perpendicular to the first surface, a first distance L1 between a first end portion of the third surface and the first surface is 10% or more and 40% or less with respect to a thickness t 1 of the first diffusion layer.

3 . The membrane electrode assembly according to claim 1 ,
wherein, in a direction perpendicular to the second surface, a second distance L2 between a second end portion of the protrusion and the second surface is 50% or less of a film thickness t 2 of the electrolyte membrane.

4 . The membrane electrode assembly according to claim 1 ,
wherein the chamfered portion includes a third surface connected to the first surface by a first connecting portion, and wherein, in a direction parallel to the first surface, a third distance L3 between the first connecting portion and the first end portion of the third surface is 20% or more and 60% or less with respect to a thickness t 1 of the first diffusion layer.

5 . The membrane electrode assembly according to claim 1 ,
wherein the protrusion is connected to the second surface by a second connecting portion, and wherein, in a direction parallel to the second surface, a fourth distance L4 between the second connecting portion and a second end portion of the protrusion is 50% or less of a film thickness t 2 of the electrolyte membrane.

6 . The membrane electrode assembly according to claim 1 ,
wherein the protrusion is connected to the second surface by a second connecting portion, and wherein, in a direction parallel to the second surface, a fifth distance L5 between a side surface of the first diffusion layer and a second end portion of the protrusion is 50% or less of a film thickness t 2 of the electrolyte membrane.

7 . The membrane electrode assembly according to claim 1 ,
wherein the first diffusion layer includes titanium.

8 . The membrane electrode assembly according to claim 1 ,
wherein the protrusion is provided around the second surface,

9 . The membrane electrode assembly according to claim 1 ,
wherein the second surface includes a plurality of the protrusions.

10 . The membrane electrode assembly according to claim 9 ,
wherein, in a plane perpendicular to the second surface, a number of the protrusions whose second distance L2 between a second end portion of the protrusion and the second surface in a plane parallel to the second surface is 60 μm or more and 100 μm or less is two or less per length 1 mm.

11 . An electrochemical cell including the membrane electrode assembly according to claim 1 .

12 . A stack including the membrane electrode assembly according to claim 1 .

13 . An electrolyzer including the membrane electrode assembly according to claim 1 .

14 . A method of manufacturing a membrane electrode assembly, comprising:
by performing a shear processing of a diffusion layer plate, forming a first diffusion layer including
a first surface including a chamfered portion,
a second surface provided on an opposing side of the first surface, and
a protrusion connected to the second surface, the protrusion protruding from the side of the first surface toward the side of the second surface; and
forming the membrane electrode assembly by performing a thermocompression bonding of the first surface of the first diffusion layer, an electrolyte membrane, and a first catalyst layer provided between the first surface and the electrolyte membrane.

15 . The method of manufacturing the membrane electrode assembly according to claim 14 ,
wherein the membrane electrode assembly is formed by performing the thermocompression bonding of a second diffusion layer, the electrolyte membrane, and a second catalyst layer provided between the second diffusion layer and the electrolyte membrane.

Assignees

• Toshiba Kk
• Toshiba Energy Systems & Solutions Corp

Inventors

• Nakano Yoshihiko
• Yoshinaga Norihiro

Classifications

• C25B11/02

  characterised by shape or form · CPC title

• C25B9/19 Primary

  with diaphragms · CPC title

• C25B1/02

  Hydrogen or oxygen · CPC title

• C25B11/032

  Gas diffusion electrodes · CPC title

• C25B11/056

  consisting of textile or non-woven fabric · CPC title