Method for the dry production of a membrane electrode unit, membrane electrode unit, and roller arrangement

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9365020-B2
Application number	US-201214345350-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 16, 2012
Priority date	Sep 15, 2011
Publication date	Jun 14, 2016
Grant date	Jun 14, 2016

Abstract

A method for the dry production of a membrane-electrode unit includes assembling a layered configuration including a centrally positioned membrane produced by extrusion and pre-dried at a temperature between 80° C. and 100° C. for 15 min to 30 min, a substrate-electrode unit on each side of the membrane having an electrode layer applied to a substrate, an optional frame around each substrate-electrode unit for fixing the substrate-electrode unit, and two separating films on outer sides. The configuration is pressed together between two laminating rollers so that a pressure connection is produced at least between the membrane and the electrode layers. A short production time is achieved because it is not necessary to keep the membrane moist at high temperatures under pressure. A membrane electrode unit and a roller configuration are also provided.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for the dry production of a membrane electrode unit for an electrolysis process, the method comprising the following steps:
drying an extruded membrane having upper and lower surfaces at a temperature between 80° C. and 100° C. for a period of time from 15 min to 30 min;
assembling a layered configuration comprising:
a centrally positioned, dried, extruded membrane;
two substrate electrode units each disposed on a respective surface of the membrane and each having a substrate and an electrode layer applied to the substrate; and
two separating films, each disposed on an outer surface of a respective one of the substrate electrode units; and

pressing the layered configuration together between two oppositely positioned laminating rollers to produce a pressure connection at least between the membrane and the electrode layers.

2. The method according to claim 1 , which further comprises placing a respective frame around each substrate electrode unit for fixing the substrate electrode unit.

3. The method according to claim 2 , which further comprises removing at least the outer separating films and the frames, after the step of producing the pressure connection.

4. The method according to claim 2 , which further comprises:
exerting substantially no compressive force on the configuration as the separating films are fed into a roll gap between the laminating rollers; and
exerting a compressive force on the configuration when the substrate electrode unit and the frames are in vicinity of the roll gap.

5. The method according to claim 1 , which further comprises laminating the membrane electrode unit at a temperature of approximately 180° C. to 190° C.

6. The method according to claim 1 , which further comprises selecting polyimide films as the separating films.

7. The method according to claim 1 , which further comprises removing the substrates for the electrode layers, after the step of producing the pressure connection.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the separating films have a larger area than the membrane and the substrate electrode units.

9. The method according to claim 1 , which further comprises:
exerting substantially no compressive force on the configuration as the separating films are fed into a roll gap between the laminating rollers; and
exerting a compressive force on the configuration when the substrate electrode unit is in vicinity of the roll gap.

Assignees

• Datz Armin
• Dennerlein Klaus
• Kuehn Carola
• Reiner Andreas
• Straub Werner
• Siemens Ag

Inventors

• Datz Armin
• Dennerlein Klaus
• Kuehn Carola
• Reiner Andreas
• Straub Werner

Classifications

• H01M8/1004 Primary

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

• B32B37/16

  with all layers existing as coherent layers before laminating · CPC title

• C25B9/08

  Chemistry & Metallurgy · mapped topic

• B32B37/0053 Primary

  Constructional details of laminating machines comprising rollers; Constructional features of the rollers · CPC title

• B32B2309/12

  Pressure · CPC title