Method for making membrane-electrode assembly for fuel cell and method for making fuel cell system comprising the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9537156-B2
Application number	US-75506210-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 6, 2010
Priority date	Nov 16, 2004
Publication date	Jan 3, 2017
Grant date	Jan 3, 2017

Abstract

A membrane-electrode assembly for a fuel cell of the present invention includes an anode and a cathode facing each other, and a polymer electrolyte membrane interposed therebetween. At least one of the anode and the cathode includes a catalyst layer and an electrode substrate. The catalyst layer includes a catalyst and a porous ionomer. The polymer electrolyte membrane contacts one side of the catalyst layer and the electrode substrate contacts the other side of the catalyst layer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for manufacturing a membrane-electrode assembly, comprising:
preparing an anode and a cathode, at least one of the anode and the cathode comprising:
a catalyst layer comprising a catalyst and a porous ionomer layer, the catalyst layer formed by a process comprising:
preparing a catalyst slurry comprising the catalyst, an ionomer, a plasticizer and a dispersion solvent, wherein, the plasticizer is at least one polymer selected from the group consisting of a C1 to C10 polyalkyleneglycol; a C1 to C10 poly(alkyl)acrylic acid; an aromatic or fluorine polymer having a sulfonic acid group; and a cellulose-based polymer, the weight ratio of the plasticizer to the ionomer ranges from about 20:80 to 70:30;
coating the slurry onto an electrode substrate; and
extracting the plasticizer wherein the plasticizer is extracted by dipping the coated electrode substrate in an extraction solvent; and

the coated electrode substrate enabling a reactant to diffuse into the catalyst layer; and

preparing a polymer electrolyte membrane interposed between the anode and the cathode.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the extraction solvent is selected from the group consisting of an alcohol-based solvent, an ether-based solvent, tetrahydrofuran, and a mixture thereof.

Assignees

• Kim Hee-Tak
• Yoon Hae-Kwon
• Park Young-Mi
• Samsung Sdi Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kim Hee-Tak
• Yoon Hae-Kwon
• Park Young-Mi

Classifications

• H01M4/8882

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

• H01M4/8878

  Treatment steps after deposition of the catalytic active composition or after shaping of the electrode being free-standing body · CPC title

• H01M4/926

  on carbon or graphite · CPC title

• H01M4/8828 Primary

  Coating with slurry or ink · CPC title

• H01M8/1004

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