JP2005135655A - Manufacturing method and device of membrane electrode assembly laminating diffusion layers and membrane electrode assembly - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To manufacture a membrane electrode assembly without warpage in a manufacturing method of the membrane electrode assembly in which diffusion layers are continuously hot-pressed on both sides of a catalyst layer with heating rollers. <P>SOLUTION: In cutting out diffusion layers 50 from a long-size carbon cloth 50a, warp threads are to be cut up with a number of notches 52 cut in in a weft direction on the carbon cloth 50a. The diffusion layers 50, 50 cut out are hot-pressed on an upper and a lower catalyst layers 4 of a member 1a conveyed with the catalyst layers 4 laminated on an electrolyte membrane 3 with heating rollers 10a, 10b. Warpage caused by differences of rigidity (tensile strength) of the diffusion layers 50, 50 is cancelled out by the forming of the notches 52. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for manufacturing a membrane electrode assembly in which diffusion layers used as cells of a fuel cell are laminated.

  FIG. 9 shows a main part of the polymer electrolyte fuel cell, in which a large number of membrane electrode assemblies (MEA: Membrane-Electrode Assembly) 1 are arranged with a separator 2 interposed therebetween. The membrane electrode assembly 1 includes an electrolyte membrane 3 made of an ion exchange membrane, a catalyst layer 4 functioning as an anode and a cathode laminated on both surfaces thereof, and a diffusion layer 5 adhered and laminated on each catalyst layer. . Fuel gas (hydrogen) and oxidizing gas (oxygen, usually air) are supplied to the diffusion layer 5 from a flow path 6 formed in the separator 2.

  To manufacture the membrane electrode assembly 1, a catalyst ink is applied to an electrolyte membrane and dried to form a catalyst layer on both sides, and a diffusion layer made of a material such as carbon cloth is formed on both sides of the catalyst layer by a flat plate press. In general, a method of hot-pressing and laminating using an adhesive is performed. This method is a so-called batch process and is not effective for continuously producing a large number of membrane electrode assemblies. Therefore, a member in which a catalyst layer is continuously formed on both surfaces of a long electrolyte membrane at a constant interval is made and passed between a pair of upper and lower heating rollers, while for example, Patent Document 1 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-48190). A member in which a diffusion layer having a predetermined size is cut from a roll-shaped carbon cloth using a thin film cutting device provided with a rotary cutter as described in Japanese Patent Publication No.), and a catalyst layer as described above is laminated on both sides. A method of continuously producing a membrane electrode assembly in which a diffusion layer is continuously adhered and laminated on both surfaces of a catalyst layer by passing between the catalyst layer and a heating roller is performed.

  FIG. 10a shows an example of a continuous manufacturing method and apparatus for such a membrane electrode assembly. A member 1a in which catalyst layers 4 and 4 are laminated at predetermined intervals on both surfaces of a long electrolyte membrane 3 passes between heating rollers 10a and 10b having a pair of upper and lower adsorption functions. . A rotary cutter 20 is opposed to the heating rollers 10a and 10b, and a diffusion layer material 5a such as a long carbon cloth is fed between the heating rollers 10a and 10b and the rotary cutter 20, and the rotary cutter The diffusion layer 5 is cut into a predetermined size by 20. The cut diffusion layers 5 and 5 are fed to both surfaces of the member 1a by the rotation of the heating rollers 10a and 10b in a state of being sucked by the heating rollers 10a and 10b having a suction function. An example of a thin film cutting device constituted by the heating roller 10 and the rotary cutter 20 described above is shown in Patent Document 1.

  While the member 1a between the heating rollers 10a and 10b is positioned, the diffusion layers 5 and 5 are fed by the upper and lower heating rollers 10a and 10b. Thereafter, for example, the lower heating roller 10b rises and comes into pressure contact with the upper heating roller 10a, whereby the heating rollers 10a and 10b are rotated and the catalyst layers 4 and 4 formed on the electrolyte membrane 3 are rotated. The membrane electrode assembly 1 is formed by being hot-pressed gradually and bonded and laminated. Simultaneously with the joining, the next diffusion layer 5 is cut by the rotary cutter 20 and is adsorbed by the heating rollers 10a and 10b. By repeating the process, the membrane electrode assembly 1 is continuously formed on the long electrolyte membrane 3 at regular intervals, and is cut into individual membrane electrode assemblies 1 by a cutting device (not shown) on the downstream side. To be separated.

JP 2003-48190 A

  The present inventors have manufactured many membrane electrode assemblies 1 in which diffusion layers 5 and 5 are laminated on both surfaces by using the above-described method. In the process, as shown in FIG. It was experienced that the membrane electrode assembly 1 may be warped. The membrane electrode assembly 1 in which such warpage has occurred must be avoided as much as possible since the assembly work becomes difficult when it is assembled with the separator in a subsequent process.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and a membrane electrode obtained in a method of manufacturing a membrane electrode assembly in which a diffusion layer is continuously hot pressed on both surfaces of a catalyst layer using a heating roller. The object is to largely suppress the warpage of the joined body.

In order to find out the cause of the occurrence of warping, the present inventors have conducted many verifications on a membrane electrode assembly in which warpage has occurred and a membrane electrode assembly in which no warpage has occurred. As a result, the occurrence of warping is
(A) The difference in physical properties, especially the difference in rigidity (tensile strength) between two upper and lower diffusion layers (for example, carbon cloth) that are superposed with the catalyst layer sandwiched between them and hot pressed by a heating roller is a major factor. That
(B) When the diffusion layer is hot-pressed by the upper and lower heating rollers, the diffusion layer is stretched in both the rotating direction and the axial direction of the heating roller while being stretched by the action of being squeezed by the rotation of the heating roller. Being crimped,
(C) The amount of elongation is affected by the rigidity (tensile strength) of the material to be the diffusion layer, in particular, the rigidity strength in the rotation direction of the heating roller (direction of entering the heating roller),
(D) When the diffusion layer is released from the pressurized state between the heating rollers, the greatly stretched one tries to shrink greatly, and conversely, the one with a small stretch does not shrink so much.
(E) When there is a difference in contraction amount between the upper and lower diffusion layers, the axial direction does not warp because the contraction force is weak, and the rotation direction is convex upward or convex because the force is strong (FIG. 10b). It was found that the warpage of (see) occurs in the membrane electrode assembly.

  From the above, if the materials of the diffusion layers of the upper and lower two layers are at least substantially equal in rigidity (tensile strength) in the entry direction to the heating roller, or if the rigidity is different, they are almost equal. It has been found that if such a process (means) is performed, it is possible to substantially suppress warping of the membrane electrode assembly to be produced.

  The present invention is based on the above knowledge obtained by the present inventors, and the first invention is that a material that becomes a diffusion layer on both catalyst layer surfaces of a member in which a catalyst layer is laminated on both surfaces of an electrolyte membrane is heated roller. Is a method of manufacturing a membrane electrode assembly in which diffusion layers are laminated on both sides by hot pressing with a material, and a material to be used as upper and lower diffusion layers is at least substantially equal in rigidity in the entry direction to the heating roller It is characterized by using. By doing so, it is possible to effectively suppress the warpage of the membrane electrode assembly due to the difference in rigidity between the upper and lower materials.

  When a membrane electrode assembly is continuously manufactured by the method shown in FIG. 10, a material in which a long material is wound into a roll (raw roll) is usually used as the material of the diffusion layer. It is done. When the material of the diffusion layer is a material such as carbon cloth, the rigidity (tensile strength) of each raw fabric roll is rarely the same, and it is inevitable that the rigidity varies in the manufacturing process. In addition, it is fully conceivable that even in one original fabric roll, there are portions having different rigidity in the longitudinal direction. When the fabric roll is a woven fabric, the warp direction stiffness is larger than the weft direction stiffness due to the nature of the long woven fabric, and the stiffness variation in each roll is in the warp direction. It is remarkable and there is variation in the weft direction, but the difference is small because the absolute value of rigidity is small.

  Therefore, when a long woven fabric is used as the material for the diffusion layer, the diffusion layer of a required size is cut therefrom by an appropriate means, and then hot-pressed with a heating roller, the long shape Even if there is a difference in rigidity by adding a process to lower the rigidity in the warp direction to the upper and lower elongated woven cloth, the difference in elongation of the upper and lower woven cloth during bonding It is possible to substantially reduce the warpage of the membrane electrode assembly produced.

  Therefore, the second invention is a film in which a diffusion layer material is bonded and laminated on both surfaces of the electrolyte membrane while hot pressing with a heating roller on both catalyst layer surfaces of the member having the catalyst layer laminated on both surfaces of the electrolyte membrane. A method for producing an electrode assembly, wherein a material to be a diffusion layer is a long woven fabric, and the woven fabric is subjected to a step of reducing rigidity in the warp direction at least, and then the warp direction of the woven fabric Is fed as a direction of entering the heating roller. In the middle of feeding, a diffusion layer having a required size is cut and separated by an appropriate means, which is sent to a heating roller and laminated and integrated by hot pressing.

  The step of reducing the rigidity in the warp direction is preferably a step of dividing at least the warp by putting a large number of incisions in the material to be the diffusion layer, and more specifically, the step is preferably performed using a rotary cutter. . If the notch formed in the diffusion layer reaches the surface of the diffusion layer in contact with the catalyst layer, the opening may damage the catalyst layer and shorten the life of the membrane electrode assembly. Therefore, it is recommended that the step of putting a large number of cuts in the material to be the diffusion layer is performed so that the cuts that are formed do not reach the surface that is bonded and laminated to the catalyst layer.

  As described above, in the case of a long woven fabric, there is usually a variation in rigidity in the weft direction, but the shrinkage force is very small (not warping). Therefore, if the two diffusion layers cut out from the long woven fabric are sent to the heating roller with the weft direction as the direction of entry into the heating roller, the membrane electrode assembly produced is almost free from warping. Can be suppressed.

  Therefore, the third invention is a film in which a diffusion layer is laminated on both surfaces by hot-pressing a material to be a diffusion layer on both catalyst layer surfaces of a member in which a catalyst layer is laminated on both surfaces of an electrolyte membrane with a heating roller. A method of manufacturing an electrode assembly, wherein a material to be a diffusion layer is a long woven fabric, and the diffusion layer cut out from the woven fabric is fed into the heating roller with the weft direction as the direction of entering the heating roller. It is characterized by that. The supplied diffusion layer is laminated and integrated with the catalyst layer by hot pressing to form a membrane electrode assembly.

  The method of the present invention can also be applied to the case where a material having basically no directionality such as a nonwoven fabric or paper is used as the material of the diffusion layer. Even when such a material is fed to the heating roller, it is possible to change the vertical direction by making a number of cuts at least in the axial direction of the heating roller (that is, in a direction perpendicular to the direction of entering the heating roller). When there is a slight difference in rigidity between the materials, it is possible to effectively suppress warping of the membrane electrode assembly produced due to the difference.

  The present invention further provides an apparatus suitable for carrying out the above manufacturing method, wherein a material that becomes a diffusion layer on both catalyst layer surfaces of a member in which a catalyst layer is laminated on both surfaces of an electrolyte membrane is simultaneously hot-pressed with a heating roller. An apparatus for manufacturing a membrane electrode assembly in which a diffusion layer is laminated on both surfaces by bonding and laminating, and a member in which a catalyst layer is laminated on both surfaces of the electrolyte membrane between a pair of upper and lower heating rollers and a pair of upper and lower heating rollers And a diffusion layer material feeding means for feeding a material for the diffusion layer between the heating roller and a member having a catalyst layer laminated on both sides of the electrolyte membrane. The diffusion layer material feeding means is fed An apparatus for manufacturing a membrane electrode assembly is further disclosed, which further comprises means for making a large number of cuts in the material to be the diffusion layer. By using this manufacturing apparatus, the membrane electrode assembly can be continuously manufactured without warping.

  The present invention further includes a membrane electrode assembly comprising at least an electrolyte membrane, a catalyst layer laminated on both surfaces thereof, and a diffusion layer laminated on both surfaces as a membrane electrode assembly produced by the above production method or production apparatus. A membrane electrode assembly is disclosed in which a large number of cuts are formed in the diffusion layer from the side of the diffusion layer that does not contact the catalyst layer. By forming a large number of cuts in the diffusion layer in this manner, warpage of the membrane electrode assembly during the manufacturing process is substantially suppressed, and a substantially flat membrane electrode assembly is obtained. Therefore, it is possible to smoothly perform the work when assembling with the separator in a subsequent process. In addition, since the diffusion layer has a large number of cuts, the gas diffusibility is improved and the performance of the membrane electrode assembly can be improved.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to continuously produce a membrane electrode assembly having no warpage. Thereby, the single cell manufacturing cost of a fuel cell can be reduced.

  The present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows an example of a production apparatus suitable for producing a membrane electrode assembly by the production method of the present invention. Also in the present invention, as described above with reference to FIG. 10, the member 1 a in which the catalyst layers 4 and 4 are laminated at predetermined intervals on both surfaces of the long electrolyte membrane 3 is used. Are transferred from the left to the right in the figure between the heating rollers 10a and 10b having the suction function. In this process, the diffusion layer 50 according to the present invention is hot-pressed on the upper and lower catalyst layers 4 and 4 in the member 1a, and the membrane electrode assembly 1 is continuously manufactured.

  In this example, a carbon cloth 50a is used for the diffusion layer 50, and a long carbon cloth 50a schematically shown in FIG. As shown, it is arranged in a mirror-like manner at the upper and lower positions of the transfer path of the member 1a. The long carbon cloth 50a has a warp direction a and a weft direction b, and the rigidity (tensile strength) in the warp direction a of each of the two original fabric rolls 51, 51 arranged vertically is as follows. Often they are different. In FIG. 1, the thickness of the carbon cloth 50a is exaggerated for easy understanding of the illustration, but the thickness of the carbon cloth used as the diffusion layer of the fuel cell is actually 0.3 to 0.00 mm. It is about 4 mm.

  Each original fabric roll 51 is supported by a support shaft 61, and a long carbon cloth 50a pulled out from the support roll 61 is guided by an anvil roller 62, a tension roller 63, a guide roller 64, and the like to be heated to the heating rollers 10a and 10b. From there, it is guided further downstream and is taken up by the take-up roller 65. It is desirable that reverse torque be applied to the support shaft 61 so that the carbon cloth 50a fed out does not loosen.

  A rotary cutter 70 for cutting is attached to face the anvil roller 62, and when the carbon cloth 50a passes between the anvil roller 62 and the rotary cutter 70, as shown in FIG. By the cutting edge 71, the carbon cloth 50a is formed with a cut 52 along at least the weft direction b so as to leave a clearance c of about 1/4 to 1/5 of the thickness across the entire width.

  4a to 4d show some examples of the cuts 52 to be formed. In FIG. 4a, the cuts 52 are formed by a group of a plurality of straight lines parallel to the weft direction b of the carbon cloth 50a. In FIG. The group is a straight line group having a broken line shape. In FIG. 4c, the notch 52 is formed by a plurality of wavy line groups parallel to the weft direction b, and in FIG. 4d, the notch 52 is formed by two intersecting straight line groups. By inserting such a notch 52 into the carbon cloth 50a, the warp of the carbon cloth 50a is shredded, and thereby the rigidity (tensile strength) in the warp direction a is greatly reduced.

  Therefore, even if there is a difference in rigidity in the warp direction between the upper and lower original fabric rolls 51, 51, the difference is eliminated, and the warp direction of the upper and lower carbon cloths 50a, 50a is eliminated. The rigidity of is almost the same value. Although the degree of reduction in rigidity changes depending on the degree of fineness and depth of the cuts 52, it is finer on the condition that the carbon cloth 50a has sufficient strength to withstand the tension required until the carbon cloth 50a is wound by the winding roll 65. It is desirable to form deeper cuts.

  The carbon cloth 50a in which the cuts 52 are formed reaches the heating rollers 10a and 10b while maintaining a state where the tension roller 63 is not loosened. A rotary cutter 20 for cutting out the diffusion layer 50 having a predetermined shape from the carbon cloth 50a is positioned facing the heating rollers 10a and 10b. The rotary cutter 20 is rotated according to the shape of the blade 21 for each rotation. As shown in FIG. 5, the diffusion layer 50 is cut out from the carbon cloth 50a. The carbon cloth 50a after the diffusion layer 50 is cut out is taken up by the take-up roller 65, while the cut out diffusion layer 50 is taken up by the peripheral surfaces of the heating rollers 10a and 10b having a suction function. Along with the rotation of 10b, it is sent toward the upper and lower surfaces of the member 1a. An example of an apparatus for cutting out a thin film product (diffusion layer 50) having a predetermined shape from a continuous thin film (carbon cloth 50a) composed of a heating roller 10 having a suction function and a rotary cutter 20 is described in Patent Document 1 described above. In the above embodiment, the apparatus can be used as it is.

  The feeding of the member 1a and the cutting timing of the diffusion layer 50 by the rotary cutter 20 are synchronized, and the two heating rollers 10a and 10b are slightly separated except when the diffusion layer 50 is hot pressed. At the time when the diffusion layer 50 is hot pressed onto the catalyst layer 4 of the member 1a, the upper and lower heating rollers 10a and 10b are in pressure contact with the member 1a. In this example, the lower heating roller 10b rises and comes into pressure contact with the upper heating roller 10a.

  With the rotation of the heating rollers 10a and 10b, the diffusion layers 50 and 50 are gradually hot-pressed on the catalyst layers 4 and 4 so that the surface opposite to the surface on which the cuts 52 are formed becomes the electrolyte membrane 3 side. Then, the membrane electrode assembly 1 in which the diffusion layer 50 is bonded and laminated on the catalyst layer 4 is manufactured. By repeating this process, the membrane electrode assembly 1 is continuously manufactured with the electrolyte membrane 3 as a connecting material at regular intervals, and is separated into individual membrane electrode assemblies 1 by a device (not shown) at a downstream position. The

  As described above, the diffusion layers 50 and 50 are subjected to the action of being squeezed by the rotation of the heating rollers 10a and 10b, and are pressed (hot pressed) onto the catalyst layers 4 and 4 while being stretched. When the pressure is released between the heating rollers 10a and 10b, the original size is reduced. In the conventional manufacturing method, even when there is a difference in the rigidity in the warp direction between the upper and lower carbon cloths, the catalyst layer that was cut out without adjusting the rigidity was hot-pressed on the catalyst layer with a heating roller. Due to this difference in the amount of shrinkage in the diffusion layer, upward or downward warping may occur in the membrane electrode assembly after production. In the present invention, as described above, both carbon cloths 50a and 50a are cut into 52 to reduce the rigidity in the warp direction, so that even if there is a difference in the rigidity of the upper and lower carbon cloth, the difference can be eliminated. The warpage of the joined body 1 is effectively eliminated.

  FIG. 6 shows an example in which the membrane electrode assembly 1 was actually manufactured by the apparatus shown in FIG. FIG. 6A shows the membrane electrode assembly 1 manufactured by removing the cutting cutter 70 from the apparatus shown in FIG. 1, and the membrane electrode assembly 1 having a width w of 50 mm and a height h of about 20 mm. Warpage, that is, about 40% of warpage occurred. Therefore, two rotary cutters 70 having a pitch P of the cutting edge 71 of P: 20 mm (FIG. 6b) and P: 10 mm (FIG. 6c) are prepared and attached, and the other conditions are the same, and the parallel shape of the shape shown in FIG. The membrane electrode assembly 1 was manufactured by forming cuts 52 as a straight line group in the carbon cloth 50a. As a result, in FIG. 6b, the height h was about 5 to 10 mm, and in FIG. 6c, the height was about 3 mm, confirming the effectiveness of the present invention. This also shows that the warp height h decreases as the pitch P of the notches 52 becomes smaller.

  In the above example, the means including the anvil roller 62 and the rotary cutter 70 is used as the means for forming the cut 52 in the carbon cloth 50a. However, as shown in FIG. 7, the carbon cloth 50a moves in the weft direction b. The notch 52 can also be formed by means such as a rotary cutter 73. Further, the cut 52 is formed so as to cover the entire width of the carbon cloth 50a. However, in the case where the diffusion layer 50 is cut out using the rotary cutter 20, a region corresponding to at least the cut out diffusion layer is not shown. The notch 52 may be formed only in the case. As an example, there is a method in which a second blade for the notch 52 is provided inside the rotary cutter 20 for cutting out the outer shape, and the notch 52 is inserted at the same time as the outer shape is cut out. However, in that case, since the formation surface of the cut 52 is opposite to that shown in FIG. 1, some means for inverting the cut diffusion layer 50 is interposed between the heating roller 10 and the carbon cloth 50a. There is a need.

  Further, the diffusion layer 50 is cut out from the carbon cloth 50a by a separately prepared cutting means (not shown), and as shown in FIG. 8, the warp direction a is parallel to the axial direction of the heating rollers 10a and 10b (weft yarn). In the case of feeding the heating rollers 10a and 10b with the direction b in the approaching direction to the heating roller), the produced film diffusion layer 1 can be produced without forming the above-mentioned notch 52 in the diffusion layer. It is possible to avoid warping. The reason is that, as described above, in the case of a long woven fabric, there is usually a variation in rigidity in the weft direction, but the contraction force is very small.

  In the above example, the carbon cloth is shown as the material of the diffusion layer. However, the method of the present invention is not limited to the carbon cloth, but is applied to all materials conventionally used as the diffusion layer of the fuel cell. Can be applied. For example, in the case of a nonwoven fabric or paper, there is essentially no fiber directionality, and it can be said that the occurrence of warping due to the difference in rigidity between the upper and lower diffusion layers is relatively small. However, when such a material is fed into the heating roller, a large difference in rigidity is made between the upper and lower diffusion layers by making a large number of cuts at least in the direction perpendicular to the direction of entering the heating roller. In such a case, it is possible to effectively suppress warping of the membrane electrode assembly produced due to the occurrence of warpage.

The figure which shows an example of the manufacturing apparatus suitable for manufacturing a membrane electrode assembly with the manufacturing method of this invention. The figure which shows the original fabric roll of a carbon cloth typically. The schematic diagram which shows the state which cuts into carbon cloth. The figure which shows some examples of the cut formed. The figure explaining that the diffusion layer in which the cut was formed is cut out from a carbon cloth. The figure explaining the effect of the cut formed in the diffused layer based on an experimental result. The figure which shows the other example which cuts into carbon cloth. The figure explaining the method of sending into the heating roller the diffusion layer cut out from the woven fabric which is the other aspect of this invention as the weft direction is the approach direction to a heating roller. The figure explaining a membrane electrode assembly. The figure explaining an example of the manufacturing method and apparatus of the conventional membrane electrode assembly.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Membrane electrode assembly, 1a ... Member which laminated | stacked catalyst layer on both surfaces of electrolyte membrane, 2 ... Separator, 3 ... Electrolyte membrane, 4 ... Catalyst layer, 10a, 10b ... Heating roller, 20 ... For cutting out a diffusion layer Rotary cutter, 5, 50 ... diffusion layer, 5a, 50a ... carbon cloth, 51 ... raw roll of carbon cloth, 52 ... notch formed in diffusion layer, 62 ... anvil roller, 65 ... take-up roller , 70: Rotary cutter for cutting, 71 ... Cutting edge, 73 ... Rotary cutter, a ... Warp direction of long carbon cloth, b ... Weft direction, c ... Clearance, p ... Pitch of cutting, h ... Warpage

Claims (10)

  A method of manufacturing a membrane electrode assembly in which a material that becomes a diffusion layer on both sides of an electrolyte membrane is bonded and laminated while hot pressing with a heating roller, and a diffusion layer is laminated on both sides. A method of manufacturing a membrane electrode assembly, wherein a material having at least substantially the same rigidity in the direction of entry into the heating roller is used as a material for the upper and lower diffusion layers.   A method of manufacturing a membrane electrode assembly in which a material that becomes a diffusion layer on both sides of an electrolyte membrane is bonded and laminated while hot pressing with a heating roller, and a diffusion layer is laminated on both sides. The material for the diffusion layer is a long woven fabric, and after performing the process of reducing the rigidity in the warp direction at least on the woven fabric, the warp direction of the woven fabric is set as the entry direction to the heating roller. A method for producing a membrane electrode assembly, which comprises feeding in.   The method for producing a membrane electrode assembly according to claim 2, wherein the step of reducing the rigidity in the warp direction is a step of dividing at least the warp by putting a large number of incisions in a material to be a diffusion layer.   The method for producing a membrane electrode assembly according to claim 3, wherein the step of putting a large number of cuts into a material to be a diffusion layer is performed using a rotary cutter.   5. The membrane electrode according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the step of inserting a large number of cuts into the material to be the diffusion layer is performed so that the cuts that are formed do not reach the surface that is bonded and laminated to the catalyst layer. Manufacturing method of joined body.   A method of manufacturing a membrane electrode assembly in which a material that becomes a diffusion layer on both sides of an electrolyte membrane is bonded and laminated while hot pressing with a heating roller, and a diffusion layer is laminated on both sides. The membrane electrode bonding is characterized in that the material for the diffusion layer is a long woven fabric, and the diffusion layer cut out from the woven fabric is fed into the heating roller with the weft direction as the direction of entry into the heating roller. Body manufacturing method.   An apparatus for manufacturing a membrane electrode assembly in which a material that becomes a diffusion layer is hot-pressed with a heating roller at the same time on both sides of a member having a catalyst layer laminated on both sides of an electrolyte membrane, and the diffusion layer is laminated on both sides simultaneously. A pair of upper and lower heating rollers, means for feeding a member having a catalyst layer laminated on both surfaces of the electrolyte membrane between the pair of upper and lower heating rollers, and a material for the diffusion layer on both surfaces of the heating roller and the electrolyte membrane A diffusion layer material feeding means for feeding between the catalyst layer and the member laminated with the catalyst layer, and the diffusion layer material feeding means further comprises means for making a large number of cuts in the material to be the diffusion layer to be fed. An apparatus for producing a membrane electrode assembly characterized by the above.   8. The apparatus for producing a membrane electrode assembly according to claim 7, wherein the means for making a large number of cuts in the material to be fed into the diffusion layer is a cutting means using a rotary cutter.   The means for making a large number of cuts in the material that will be the diffusion layer to be fed is characterized in that the cut depth is adjusted so that the cuts that are formed do not reach the surface that is bonded and laminated to the catalyst layer. An apparatus for producing a membrane / electrode assembly according to 7 or 8.   A membrane / electrode assembly comprising at least an electrolyte membrane, a catalyst layer laminated on both sides thereof, and a diffusion layer laminated on both sides thereof, wherein a number of cuts are formed in the diffusion layer from the side not in contact with the catalyst layer A membrane electrode assembly characterized by being made.

Images