JP2000048832A - Separator for solid polymer fuel cell - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a separator for a solid polymer fuel cell with satisfactory productivity and possibility to downsize a part available for a part of a compact and easy handling fuel cell. SOLUTION: In a solid polymer fuel cell separator, which comprises metal sheets with gas passageways by which fuel gas flows in or flows out of a central gas flow path, the gas passageways comprise a plurality of grooves formed by a row of barrier parts 11 and a spacer 12 which covers their upper parts, and blocking parts 14 are placed on the upper parts of the groove sides of the barrier parts 11 at both ends to prevent an adhesive agent from oozing out. The barrier parts 11 and the spacer 12 are bonded together by applying an adhesive agent 2 to the upper parts of the barrier parts 11 at both the ends.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a polymer electrolyte fuel cell separator which can be used as a small and easy-to-handle fuel cell, and more particularly to a separator capable of miniaturizing parts and having good productivity.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Fuel cells are being actively developed in response to recent environmental problems and resource problems. In particular, polymer electrolyte fuel cells are being studied as small and easy-to-handle fuel cells.Furthermore, smaller separators are required as separators for batteries, and the accuracy is excellent because a large number of separators are superimposed on each other. A good separator is required.

In the above polymer electrolyte fuel cell, a thin metal plate such as a stainless steel plate is used as a separator body as a separator, a corrosion-resistant packing material is provided on a peripheral portion, and a large number of separators are polymerized through an electrolyte membrane or the like (stack). FIG. 3 shows an example of such a separator.
The plan view of FIG. A fuel gas flow path A is provided at the center of the separator, and the packing material 3 shown by hatching is
Is coated. Fuel gas and the like flows into and out of the central fuel gas flow path A from the outside through the gas passage portion 1.

In the above separator, the gas passage 1
Since the packing material 3 is covered, a plurality of grooves 13 and spacers 12 form a flow path as shown in the schematic perspective view of FIG. Conventionally, the spacer 12 has been joined to the upper portion of the partition 11 of the gas passage portion 1 using an adhesive, but the adhesive tends to protrude, and a part of the adhesive enters the groove to inhibit the normal flow of the fuel gas. There was a problem.
Therefore, it is necessary to manually remove the adhesive that has protruded into the groove, and there has been a problem that the productivity is significantly reduced.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has found a polymer electrolyte fuel cell separator which can solve the above-mentioned problems. In a polymer electrolyte fuel cell separator made of a thin metal plate provided with a gas passage portion 1 for inflow and outflow of gas, the gas passage portion 1 has a plurality of rows of partition walls 11.
And a plurality of groove portions 13 formed by spacers 12 covering the upper portion thereof, and a weir portion 14 for preventing the adhesive from protruding from the upper side surface of the groove side of the both end partition portions is provided. The solid polymer fuel cell separator is characterized in that the partition wall 11 and the spacer 12 are joined by applying an adhesive 2 on the upper part of the separator.

[0006]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below in detail.
The separator main body in the present invention is formed of a thin metal plate, and the thin metal plate is preferably, but not limited to, a steel plate, a stainless steel plate, a plated steel plate, an aluminum plate, a copper plate, a titanium plate and the like. 0.3mm thickness
It is about, and by the gas groove pattern of the uneven shape in the center,
A fuel gas flow path A is formed (omitted in FIG. 3). A reaction gas passage hole and a cooling medium passage are perforated in the peripheral portion, and are communicated with the fuel gas flow passage A by the gas passage portion 1.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the gas passage portion 1 comprises a plurality of rows of partition walls 11 and a plurality of grooves 13 formed by spacers 12 covering the upper portion thereof. A weir portion 14 is provided in the portion to prevent the adhesive from protruding.

The depth of the weir 14 is 10% of the depth of the groove 13
If it is less than 10%, the effect of preventing the adhesive from protruding is small, and if it exceeds 50%, the strength of the weir tends to be weak. An adhesive 2 is applied to the upper portions of both ends of the partition 11 to form the partition 11 and the spacer 1.
2 are joined. As the adhesive to be used, those having various compositions can be used, but it is preferable to use a silicone-based adhesive from the viewpoints of chemical resistance and adhesive strength. It is not necessary to apply the adhesive to both ends of the partition part 11 except for both ends, and this part can be tightened and adhered when forming a stack as a fuel cell. By providing the weir portion 14, even if the adhesive is applied slightly excessively, it can be prevented from protruding into the groove portion 13.

A packing material 3 is coated on at least one peripheral edge of the thin metal plate provided with the gas passage portion 1 having the above-described contents. As the packing material, a silicone resin is preferable. The silicone resin to be used is a liquid silicone resin, and a two-part type ordinary addition-type liquid silicone resin having a viscosity of 10 ³ to 10 ⁴ poise (25
C) can be suitably used.

[0010] The thickness of the silicone resin layer is 0.05 mm or more.
A range of 1.0 mm is preferable.
The elasticity effect is hard to be obtained, and the use as a packing material is poor. When the thickness exceeds 1.0 mm, it is difficult to reduce the size of the polymer electrolyte fuel cell for use as a separator, and the cost increases.

[0011]

The present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the following Examples, but it should not be construed that the present invention is limited thereto. (Example 1) A gas passage portion as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 was provided in a separator body having a length of 195 mm and a width of 185 mm.
Groove 13 (3.7 mm wide, 0.3 mm deep, 12 m long
m), the width of the partition 11 is 1.8 mm, the depth of the weir 14 is 0.1 mm (33% of the depth of the groove), and the thickness is 0.05.
mm.

A silicone adhesive (trade name “KE-45” manufactured by Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.) was used as the adhesive.
A stainless steel spacer (thickness: 0.3 mm) was joined to the upper portions of the partition walls at both ends. Thereafter, a packing material made of silicone resin was coated on the peripheral edge of the separator body to obtain a separator. With the obtained separator, efficient production was possible without the protrusion of the adhesive into the groove and the attachment of foreign matter due to the adhesive to the central fuel gas flow path.

[0013]

As described above, in the polymer electrolyte fuel cell separator of the present invention, the productivity is improved, and the utility as a small and easy-to-handle fuel cell is large.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view of a gas passage of a separator of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of a gas passage portion.

FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view of a polymer electrolyte fuel cell separator provided with a gas passage.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 ... Partition part 12 ... Spacer 13 ... Groove part 14 ... Weir part 2 ... Adhesive

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A polymer electrolyte fuel cell separator comprising a thin metal plate body provided with a gas passage portion (1) for allowing a fuel gas to flow in and out of a central fuel gas passage (A). (1) comprises a plurality of rows of partition walls (11) and a plurality of grooves (13) formed by spacers (12) covering the upper part thereof, and the adhesive protrudes into the upper side surface of the groove side of the partition walls at both ends. Weir part (14) to prevent that
, And an adhesive (2) is applied to the upper part of the partition wall at both ends to join the partition wall (11) and the spacer (12). 2. The polymer electrolyte fuel cell separator according to claim 1, wherein the adhesive comprises a silicone-based adhesive.