JP2010089460A - Method of forming layer to film - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method of forming a layer to a film capable of enlarging a processable range for forming a film by adhering a desired material to a film without increasing a peripheral length (diameter) of a drum or a number of a drum. <P>SOLUTION: In a method of forming a film by adhering a desired material to a film while a strip band 11 is transported, the film 11 is wound around a rotating drum 12 in a spiral shape and a negative pressure is loaded on a back surface side of the drum whereby the film 11 is transported under suctioning to a surface of the drum, and the total length of the drum wound around in a spiral shape in a range of an axis direction is fallen within a range capable of adhering the desired material (a processable range), whereby the processable range can be enlarged only by increasing cycles of winding a film to the rotating drum 12. For instance, even when a layer 14 comprising 5 material-adhered layers 13 is required to form successively on the film 11, this requirement can be realized only by a film 11 is wound around the rotating drum 12 by 5 turns and adhering the desired material to the film 11 from each of 5 positions opposite against the film 11, thus forming 5 layers without increasing the peripheral length of the drum nor a number of the drum. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a method for forming a layer of a band-shaped film, mainly by transporting a thin film and attaching a desired substance to the thin film, and in particular, forming an electrode catalyst layer on the electrolyte film while transporting the electrolyte film. The present invention relates to a method for forming a layer on a membrane suitable for a method for forming an electrode catalyst layer of a fuel cell.

In the technology of forming an electrode catalyst layer on an electrolyte membrane of a fuel cell, the position of the electrolyte membrane is maintained using negative pressure in order to avoid expansion and contraction of the electrolyte membrane made of a thin film. As an electrode catalyst layer forming technique, there are those described in Patent Documents 1 and 2.
The technology described in Patent Document 1 is such that an electrolyte membrane is placed on a conveyor belt having a large number of suction holes and conveyed while being sucked and fixed, and an electrode catalyst layer is applied to the electrolyte membrane by applying a solution serving as an electrode catalyst layer. Is to form.
However, in the technique described in Patent Document 1, when the conveyance belt is lengthened to widen the application range of the solution serving as the electrode catalyst layer, the negative pressure state on the back side of the conveyance belt for sucking and fixing the electrolyte membrane can be maintained. It becomes difficult.
The technique described in Patent Document 2 is to form an electrode catalyst layer by applying a coating solution for forming a catalyst layer to an electrolyte membrane that is wound around a drum, adsorbed, held, and conveyed. The adsorption holding of the electrolyte membrane is performed by generating a negative pressure in the drum.
Both the adsorption holding of the electrolyte membrane in the technique described in Patent Document 2 and the suction fixing of the electrolyte membrane in the technique described in Patent Document 1 are both performed by generating a negative pressure. This is easier than making negative pressure on the back side of the conveyor belt. This does not change even if the drum is enlarged, and therefore the technique described in Patent Document 2 is considered more useful for maintaining the position of the electrolyte membrane using negative pressure.

JP 2005-38758 A JP 2006-12525 A

However, in the technique described in Patent Document 2, in order to widen the application range of the coating liquid for forming the electrode catalyst layer, it is necessary to increase the circumference of the drum or increase the number of drums. was there.
FIGS. 3A and 3B show how the coating liquid application range (processable range) is widened by increasing the circumference of the drum 31. That is, if the peripheral length of the drum 31 is increased as shown in FIGS. However, in this method, the diameter D of the drum 31 has to be increased as can be seen from the figure, and the occupied space of the drum 31 is increased. For example, when the drum 31 was placed horizontally, the dimensions increased in the vertical, horizontal, and both directions, and the occupied space increased. Note that the arrow A indicates the transport direction of the electrolyte membrane 32.
Although not shown, when the number of drums is increased to expand the processable range, the occupied space corresponding to the number of drums increases.

  The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-described problems. A desired substance is adhered to a film without increasing the peripheral length (diameter) of the drum or increasing the number of drums. It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for forming a layer on a film that can widen the processable range for forming the film.

The said subject is solved by setting the layer formation method to a film | membrane as the structure of each following aspect.
As with the claims, each aspect is divided into sections, each section is numbered, and is described in a form that cites the numbers of other sections as necessary. This is merely for the purpose of facilitating the understanding of the present invention, and the technical features described in this specification and combinations thereof should not be construed as being limited to those described in the following sections. . In addition, when a plurality of items are described in one section, it is not always necessary to employ the plurality of items together, and it is also possible to take out only a part of the items and employ them.

  Of the following items, (1) corresponds to claim 1, (2) corresponds to claim 2, (3) corresponds to claim 3, and (5) corresponds to claim 4. . The item (4) is not a claimed invention.

(1) In a method of forming a layer on a film in which a belt-shaped film is conveyed and a desired substance is adhered to the film to form a layer, the film is spirally wound around a rotating drum and negatively charged on the back side of the drum. A method for forming a layer on a film, wherein the film is conveyed while being sucked onto the drum surface by generating pressure.
Although there is no restriction | limiting in the thickness of a film | membrane, what is called a thin film is suitable. For example, an electrolyte membrane on which an electrode catalyst layer of a fuel cell is formed is a suitable example. It is desirable as an application example to dry the layer formed on the film (attached substance) during film transportation.
(2) The membrane is an electrolyte membrane of a fuel cell, and the substance attached to the electrolyte membrane is a liquid for forming an electrode catalyst layer of the fuel cell. A method for forming a layer on a film.
This section is an invention in which the method for forming a layer on a membrane described in the section (1) is applied to a method for forming an electrode catalyst layer of a fuel cell. The electrolyte membrane is made of an ion exchange resin material and forms an electrode catalyst layer. The substance for the purpose is a substance made of platinum or the like.
(3) The method for forming a layer on a film according to (1) or (2), wherein the film is transported while controlling an end surface position thereof to a fixed position.
An edge position controller or the like is used for fixed position control of the film end face position.
(4) The position of the end face of the film is controlled to a fixed position at a position near the rotating drum, between the feeding part of the film and the rotating drum, and between the winding part and the rotating drum. The method for forming a layer on the film as described in (3).
According to the invention described in this section, there is an effect that the spiral angle and the position in the invention described in the section (3) can be held more efficiently.
(5) A layer is formed by adhering the desired substance to the film from a plurality of locations along the drum axial direction facing the film wound around the drum on the outer peripheral side of the rotating drum. The method of forming a layer on the film according to any one of (1) to (4).

According to the invention described in the item (1), a processable range for forming a layer by attaching a desired substance to a film without increasing the peripheral length (diameter) of the drum or increasing the number of drums. A method for forming a layer on a film that can be spread can be provided.
According to the invention described in the item (2), a layer forming method (film electrode forming method for a fuel cell) on a film capable of expanding the applicable range of the liquid material for forming the electrode catalyst layer for the fuel cell is provided. Can be provided.
According to the invention described in item (3), in the method for forming a layer on a film described in item (1) or (2), the spiral angle and position of the film wound around the rotating drum with respect to the rotating drum are determined. Can be kept constant.
According to the invention described in the item (5), in the method for forming a layer on the film described in the item (1), (2) or (3), for example, a layer formed of a plurality of layers on the film is formed. Continuous or intermittent formation can be realized in a relatively small drum occupation space.
Since the invention described in the item (4) is not the present invention (the invention described in the claims), the effect is described in the column of means for solving the above problems.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In addition, the same code | symbol shows the same or an equivalent part between each figure.
FIG. 1 is an explanatory view of an embodiment of a method for forming a layer on a film according to the present invention, wherein (a) is an overall view, and (b) is a view showing a rotating drum portion in FIG. It is.
The present embodiment is a method for forming an electrode catalyst layer of a fuel cell in which a belt-shaped thin film, here an electrolyte membrane, is conveyed and a material for forming an electrode catalyst layer is applied to the electrolyte membrane to form an electrode catalyst layer. The present invention is applied. In this case, the substance for forming the electrolyte membrane and the electrode catalyst layer is made of a material usually used for manufacturing an electrode for a polymer electrolyte fuel cell. For example, the electrolyte membrane is made of an ion exchange resin material, and the substance for forming the electrode catalyst layer (electrode catalyst layer forming substance) is a liquid containing platinum or the like.

As shown in FIG. 1, in the fuel cell electrode catalyst layer forming method according to the present embodiment, the electrolyte membrane 11 is spirally wound around a drum 12 (rotary drum) 12 that is rotatable in the direction around the axis a plurality of times, 5 in this case. The electrolyte membrane 11 is wound up from the front end side of the rotary drum 12 and conveyed while sucking the surface of the rotary drum 12 while generating a negative pressure on the back side of the rotary drum 12.
According to this method, the total length of the electrolyte membrane 11 in the range of the spiral drum axial direction (the number of times the electrolyte membrane 11 is wound × the circumference of the rotary drum) is the electrode catalyst layer forming substance, Then, it becomes the application possible range (processable range) of the liquid for electrode catalyst layer formation. Therefore, in order to widen the workable range, it is only necessary to increase the number of times the electrolyte membrane 11 is wound around the rotary drum 12, and it is not necessary to increase the drum peripheral length (diameter D) or increase the number of drums. That is, the increase in the space occupied by the rotating drum 12 by expanding the processable range is minimized.

  In the present embodiment, from a plurality of locations along the axial direction of the rotary drum facing the electrolyte membrane 11 wound around the drum 12 on the outer peripheral side of the rotary drum 12, here from five locations (coating devices 15a to 15e), Each of the electrode catalyst layer forming liquid materials is attached to the electrolyte membrane 11 and sprayed here, thereby forming an electrode catalyst layer 14 comprising five electrode catalyst layer forming liquid material coating layers 13 on the electrolyte membrane 11. An example is shown.

In the illustrated example, the electrolyte membrane 11 is drawn out in a band shape from a state wound in a roll shape, and spirally wound around the rotary drum 12 as described above, and after the electrolyte membrane 11 is applied on the rotary drum 12, It is wound up into a roll.
The conveyance of the electrolyte membrane 11 (indicated by the direction of arrow A) is performed by winding the electrolyte membrane 11 from the distal end side or by using both the winding and the rotational drive of the rotary drum 12 in combination. In any case, the electrolyte membrane 11 is configured not to be broken during transportation or at the start or stop of transportation. For example, when the electrolyte membrane 11 is transported by winding the electrolyte membrane 11, the rotary drum 12 is pivotally supported so as to be freely rotatable with a light load, and an appropriate amount of back tension is applied as necessary. In the case of using both winding and rotational driving of the rotating drum 12, a configuration is adopted in which the rotating drum 12 is rotated so as to synchronize with the winding speed of the electrolyte membrane 11.

Application of the electrode catalyst layer-forming liquid material to the electrolyte membrane 11 is performed by coating devices 15 (15a to 15e) disposed at five locations along the drum axis direction that face the electrolyte membrane 11 wound around the rotary drum 12. ).
The form of application of the electrode catalyst layer forming liquid includes the transport speed of the electrolyte membrane 11 (winding speed of the electrolyte membrane 11 and drum rotation speed), the control of the start and stop timing of transport, and the electrode catalyst by the coating device 15. Various changes can be made by controlling the timing of starting and stopping the coating of the liquid material for layer formation, and by setting the number of coating devices 15 (15a to 15e) used.
In the case where five layers of the electrode catalyst layer forming liquid material coating layer are continuously formed, the coating device on the feeding portion side of the electrolyte membrane 11 with respect to the electrolyte membrane 11 wound around the rotary drum 12 and conveyed. The coating operation is sequentially started every time the rotary drum 12 rotates one by one to the coating device 15e on the winding part side of the electrolyte membrane 11 sequentially from 15a, and thereafter the coating devices 15a to 15e are continuously coated. Alternatively, all the coating operations of the coating devices 15a to 15e are started from the beginning. The latter method of starting all the coating operations of the coating apparatuses 15a to 15e from the beginning is that the coating layer of the electrode catalyst layer forming liquid material on the electrolyte membrane 11 is not five layers from the beginning. After five rotations, five coating layers of the electrode catalyst layer forming liquid material are continuously obtained.
The electrolyte membrane 11 in which the electrode catalyst layer 14 composed of the five electrode catalyst layer forming liquid material coating layers 13 is continuously formed is then appropriately cut to a length.

The electrode catalyst layer 14 can also be intermittently formed on the electrolyte membrane 11 by controlling the start and stop timing of the application of the electrode catalyst layer forming liquid material of the coating device 15 (15a to 15e).
According to the setting of the coating width of the electrode catalyst layer forming liquid material by the coating device 15, the width dimension of the electrode catalyst layer 14 can be arbitrarily set. Therefore, for example, the electrode catalyst layer 14 is formed at both ends in the width direction of the electrolyte membrane 11. No part can be formed.
In the present embodiment, the electrode catalyst layer forming liquid is dried together with its application, which will be described later.
The electrolyte membrane 11 being transported is controlled to a fixed position, for example, by controlling the position of the film end face by the edge position controller 16, and the spiral angle with respect to the rotating drum 12 (electrolyte membrane tilt angle with respect to the drum rotation axis) and position are kept constant. Can keep. In this embodiment, the edge position controller 16 is disposed in the vicinity of the rotary drum 12 and can efficiently hold the spiral angle and position.

In the present embodiment, the suction of the electrolyte membrane 11 to the surface of the rotating drum 12 is performed by generating a negative pressure on the back side of the rotating drum 12 as described above, and the electrode catalyst layer forming liquid is dried. This is done by heating the drum surface, which will be specifically described below with reference to FIG.
FIG. 2 is a view for explaining the suction of the electrolyte membrane 11 to the surface of the rotary drum 12 and the drying of the liquid material for forming the electrode catalyst layer, wherein (a) is a cross-sectional structure of the rotary drum 12 portion in FIG. FIG. 2B is a diagram showing a part of the rotating drum 12 together with the electrolyte membrane 11, and FIG.
As shown in FIG. 2, the rotary drum 12 is formed in a double cylindrical shape having inner and outer cylinders 12a and 12b in the radial direction.
In the outer cylinder 12b around which the electrolyte membrane 11 is wound, a large number of air suction holes 21 are formed over almost the entire length, and the exhaust cylinder 22 is provided in the exhaust port 22 provided on the right end surface of the outer cylinder 12b. Communication space (space formed between the inner cylinder 12a) 23 and the inner cylinder 12a. The exhaust port 22 is connected to an air suction device such as a pump (not shown). By operating the air suction device, a negative pressure is generated on the back surface side of the outer cylinder 12b, that is, the back surface side of the rotary drum 12, and the air suction hole. Since air is sucked from 21, the portion of the electrolyte membrane 11 wound around the rotating drum 12 can be sucked to the surface of the rotating drum 12.
The air suction hole 21 may be directly drilled in the rotary drum 12 (outer cylinder 12b). However, the outer cylinder 12b of the rotary drum 12 is formed only by a framework, and the outer periphery thereof is covered with a porous body or a mesh material. It may be formed.

In the inner cylinder 12a of the rotating drum 12, in order to allow hot water to flow in the axial direction, here from the left end surface in the axial direction to the right end surface (see arrow (e)), a hot water inlet is provided on the left end surface. A drain outlet 25 communicates with each of the right end surfaces 24. The drain port 25 is connected to a hot water circulation device such as a pump (not shown), and by operating the hot water circulation device, the hot water is circulated in the inner cylinder 12a from the left end surface to the right end surface. The cylinder 12a and by extension the outer cylinder 12b (the surface of the rotating drum 12) can be heated. Therefore, the electrode catalyst layer-forming liquid material applied to the electrolyte membrane 11 can be dried through the electrolyte membrane 11 wound around the rotary drum 12.
As described above, the O-ring 26 and the like are provided in order to allow ventilation in the outer cylinder 12b and water in the inner cylinder 12a, respectively, and rotation of the entire rotating drum.
An arrow D in the figure indicates an air flow for generating the negative pressure in a state where the electrolyte membrane 11 is not wound around.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the electrolyte membrane 11 is spirally wound around the rotating drum 12 a plurality of times, and negative pressure is generated on the back surface side of the drum so that the surface of the drum 11 is surfaced. It was taken up from the tip side while being sucked and conveyed. Therefore, the total length of the electrolyte membrane 11 in the range of the axial direction of the rotating drum that is hung around the spiral (the number of times the electrolyte membrane 11 is hung × the circumference of the rotating drum) is the range in which the electrode catalyst layer forming liquid can be applied. (Processable range). That is, in order to widen the workable range, it is only necessary to increase the number of times the electrolyte membrane 11 is wound around the rotary drum 12, and it is not necessary to increase the drum circumference (diameter) or increase the number of drums.

For example, the electrode catalyst layer forming liquid material is sprayed and applied to the electrolyte membrane 11 from five locations along the drum axial direction facing the electrolyte membrane 11 wound around the rotary drum 12, and five layers are formed on the electrolyte membrane 11. When the electrode catalyst layer 14 composed of the electrode catalyst layer forming liquid material coating layer 13 is to be formed, the electrode catalyst layer 14 can be formed without increasing the drum circumference or increasing the number of drums.
In the technique described in Patent Document 2, when five layers of the electrode catalyst layer-forming liquid material coating layer are stacked, the electrode catalyst layer-forming liquid material is sprayed and applied from five locations along the drum circumferential direction, It is necessary to prepare five drums and spray and apply the electrode catalyst layer forming liquid material from the circumferential direction of each drum. In any case, the occupied space necessary for installing the rotating drum is considerably large, but according to the present embodiment, a relatively small occupied space is sufficient.

Further, in this embodiment, the rotary drum 12 is formed in a double cylinder shape, and the rotary drum 12 is heated through warm water in the inner cylinder 12a, so that the electrolyte membrane 11 is carried around the drum 12 and conveyed. The applied electrode catalyst layer forming liquid can be dried in a compact form.
Furthermore, since the electrolyte membrane 11 being transported is controlled to be in a fixed position, the spiral angle and position of the electrolyte membrane 11 wound around the rotary drum 12 with respect to the rotary drum 12 can be kept constant. In addition, since the position control of the electrolyte membrane 11 is performed in the vicinity of the rotating drum 12, the spiral angle and the position can be efficiently held.

In the above-described embodiment, the electrode catalyst layer-forming liquid material in the electrode catalyst layer formation is dried with warm water. However, for example, an electrode heater may be used. The electrode catalyst layer forming liquid need not be dried.
Moreover, although the case where this invention was applied to the electrode catalyst layer formation method of a fuel cell was described in the above-mentioned embodiment, it is not limited only to this. For example, you may apply to the gas diffusion layer formation method for forming the gas diffusion layer of a fuel cell in a predetermined film | membrane.

It is explanatory drawing of one Embodiment of the electrode catalyst layer formation method of the fuel cell to which this invention was applied. It is explanatory drawing about attraction | suction to the drum surface of the electrolyte membrane in embodiment same as the above, and drying of the liquid material for electrode catalyst layer formation. It is explanatory drawing of a prior art.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11: Electrolyte film | membrane, 12: Rotating drum, 13: Liquid substance coating layer for electrode catalyst layer formation, 14: Electrode catalyst layer, 15 (15a-15e): Coating apparatus, 16: Edge position controller.

Claims (4)

In a layer formation method to a film in which a belt-shaped film is conveyed and a desired substance is attached to the film to form a layer.
A method of forming a layer on a film, wherein the film is spirally wound around a rotating drum and negative pressure is generated on the back side of the drum so as to be conveyed while being sucked to the drum surface.   2. The layer on the membrane according to claim 1, wherein the membrane is an electrolyte membrane of a fuel cell, and the substance attached to the electrolyte membrane is a liquid for forming an electrode catalyst layer of the fuel cell. Forming method.   The method for forming a layer on a film according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the film is transported while controlling an end surface position thereof to a fixed position. The layer is formed by adhering the desired substance to the film from a plurality of locations along the drum axial direction facing the film wound around the drum on the outer peripheral side of the rotating drum. 4. A method for forming a layer on the film according to 1, 2 or 3.