Electrode, membrane electrode assembly, electrochemical cell, stack, and electrolyzer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025075353-A1
Application number	US-202418773810-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 16, 2024
Priority date	Aug 29, 2023
Publication date	Mar 6, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

An electrode according to an embodiment including a support and a catalyst layer provided on the support and alternately stacked with sheet layers and gap layers. The catalyst layer is for electrolysis. The catalyst layer comprises a first metal which is one or more elements selected from the group consisting of Ir, Ru, Pt, Pd, Hf, V, Au, Ta, W, Nb, Zr, Mo, and Cr, and a second metal which is one or more elements selected from the group consisting of Ni, Co, Mn, Fe, Cu, Al, and Zn. The catalyst layer comprises a first region and a second region. The first metal in the first region is more oxidized than the first metal in the second region. A ratio of the second metal in the first region is greater than the ratio of the second metal in the second region.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An electrode comprising:
a support; and a catalyst layer provided on the support and alternately stacked with sheet layers and gap layers, wherein the catalyst layer is for electrolysis, the catalyst layer comprises a first metal which is one or more elements selected from the group consisting of Ir, Ru, Pt, Pd, Hf, V, Au, Ta, W, Nb, Zr, Mo, and Cr, and a second metal which is one or more elements selected from the group consisting of Ni, Co, Mn, Fe, Cu, Al, and Zn, the catalyst layer comprises a first region and a second region, the first metal in the first region is more oxidized than the first metal in the second region, and a ratio of the second metal in the first region is greater than the ratio of the second metal in the second region.

2 . The electrode according to claim 1 , wherein
the first region has a layer shape, the second region has a layer shape, and the first region having the layer shape and the second region having the layer shape are stacked in a stacking direction of the sheet layers and the gap layers.

3 . The electrode according to claim 1 , wherein
the first region is present on a side of the catalyst layer opposite to a surface of the catalyst layer on a side of the support.

4 . The electrode according to claim 1 , wherein
the first region has a layer shape, the second region has a layer shape, the first region having the layer shape and the second region having the layer shape are stacked in a stacking direction of the sheet layers and the gap layers, the catalyst layer includes two or more of the first regions having the layer shape, and the second region having the layer shape is present between the two or more of the first regions having the layer shape.

5 . The electrode according to claim 1 , wherein
the first region has a layer shape, the second region has a layer shape, the first region having the layer shape and the second region having the layer shape are stacked in a stacking direction of the sheet layers and the gap layers, and an average thickness of the first region having the layer shape is thinner than an average thickness of the second region having the layer shape.

6 . The electrode according to claim 1 , wherein
the first region has a layer shape, the second region has a layer shape, the first region having the layer shape and the second region having the layer shape each include the sheet layers and the gap layers, and the first region having the layer shape and the second region having the layer shape are stacked in a stacking direction of the sheet layers and the gap layers.

7 . The electrode according to claim 1 , wherein
the first region has a layer shape, the second region has a layer shape, the first region having the layer shape and the second region having the layer shape each include the sheet layers and the gap layers, the first region having the layer shape and the second region having the layer shape are stacked in a stacking direction of the sheet layers and the gap layers, and the first region having the layer shape is in direct contact with the second region.

8 . The electrode according to claim 1 , wherein
the first region has a layer shape, the second region has a layer shape, the first region having the layer shape and the second region having the layer shape each include the sheet layers and the gap layers, the first region having the layer shape and the second region having the layer shape are stacked in a stacking direction of the sheet layers and the gap layers, and the sheet layer of the first region having the layer shape is in direct contact with the gap layer of the second region having the layer shape, or the gap layer of the first region having the layer shape is in direct contact with the sheet layer of the second region.

9 . The electrode according to claim 1 , wherein
the first region has a layer shape, the second region has a layer shape, the first region having the layer shape and the second region having the layer shape each include the sheet layers and the gap layers, Ni is included as the second metal in the first region having the layer shape and the second region having the layer shape, and a ratio of Ni included in the first region is higher than a ratio of Ni included in the second region.

10 . The electrode according to claim 1 , wherein
the first region has a layer shape, the second region has a layer shape, the first region having the layer shape and the second region having the layer shape each include the sheet layers and the gap layers, and a porosity of the first region having the layer shape is lower than a porosity of the second region having the layer shape.

11 . The electrode according to claim 1 , wherein
the first region has a layer shape, the second region has a layer shape, the first region having the layer shape and the second region having the layer shape are stacked in a stacking direction of the sheet layers and the gap layers, the catalyst layer includes two or more of the first regions having the layer shape, the second region is present between the two or more of the first regions having the layer shape, an average thickness of the first region having the layer shape is thinner than an average thickness of the second region having the layer shape, the first region having the layer shape is in direct contact with the second region, Ni is included as the second metal in the first region having the layer shape and the second region having the layer shape, a ratio of Ni included in the first region is higher than a ratio of Ni included in the second region, and a porosity of the first region having the layer shape is lower than a porosity of the second region having the layer shape.

12 . A membrane electrode assembly comprising:
the electrode according to claim 1 ; and an electrolyte membrane, wherein the electrolyte membrane is in direct contact with the first region.

13 . An electrochemical cell comprising:
the membrane electrode assembly according to claim 12 .

14 . A stack comprising:
the membrane electrode assembly according to claim 12 .

15 . An electrolyzer comprising:
the stack according to claim 14 .

Assignees

• Toshiba Kk
• Toshiba Energy Systems & Solutions Corp

Inventors

• Fukazawa Taishi
• Nakano Yoshihiko
• Yoshinaga Norihiro

Classifications

• C25B11/081

  the element being a noble metal · CPC title

• C25B11/093

  at least one noble metal or noble metal oxide and at least one non-noble metal oxide · CPC title

• C25B9/77

  having diaphragms · CPC title

• C25B11/031 Primary

  Porous electrodes · CPC title

• C25B9/23

  comprising ion-exchange membranes in or on which electrode material is embedded · CPC title