Wet lamination process for reducing mud cracking in fuel cell components

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9419286-B2
Application number	US-201113005587-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 13, 2011
Priority date	Jan 13, 2011
Publication date	Aug 16, 2016
Grant date	Aug 16, 2016

Abstract

Methods of making a substantially crack-free electrode layer are described. The methods include depositing an electrode ink on a substrate; placing a layer of porous reinforcement layer on a surface of the wet electrode ink; and drying the electrode ink to form the substantially crack-free electrode layer on the substrate. Substantially crack-free electrode layers and fuel cells incorporating substantially crack-free electrode layers are also described.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of forming a substantially crack-free fuel cell component that is made of an electrode, a gas diffusion medium, and a proton-transmissive ionomer, the method comprising:
depositing an electrode ink directly onto the gas diffusion medium, the electrode ink comprising a wet film construction containing a solvent, the ionomer, and a catalyst;
placing a porous reinforcement layer on the wet electrode ink such that the surface of the wet film construction on the gas diffusion medium is reinforced while it is drying;
drying the electrode ink with a first heating step to remove the solvent in the electrode ink and to form the substantially crack-free electrode layer on the gas diffusion medium;
coating an ionomer film on the substantially crack-free electrode; and
drying the coated ionomer film with a second heating step.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the porous reinforcement layer is a polymer film, a metal screen, or a woven material.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the porous reinforcement layer is expanded polytetrafluoroethylene.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the solvent comprises an organic solvent, water, or combinations thereof.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the organic solvent is isopropyl alcohol, n-propyl alcohol, ethanol, butanol, diacetone alcohol, pentanol, or combinations thereof.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the ionomer is perfluorosulfonic acid polymer, sulfonated polyether ketone, aryl ketone, or polybenzimidazole.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the catalyst is a platinum group metal.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the catalyst is disposed on electrically conductive support particles.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein drying the electrode ink comprises exposing the electrode ink to an infrared lamp or convectively heating the electrode ink to remove a solvent in the electrode ink.

Assignees

• Houghtaling Bradley M
• Healy John P
• Moose Scott C
• Peters Scott L
• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Houghtaling Bradley M
• Healy John P
• Moose Scott C
• Peters Scott L

Classifications

• Y02E60/50

  Fuel cells · CPC title

• Y02T90/32

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic

• H01M4/8882

  Heat treatment, e.g. drying, baking · CPC title

• H01M2250/20

  Fuel cells in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane · CPC title

• H01M4/8892

  Impregnation or coating of the catalyst layer, e.g. by an ionomer · CPC title