JP4381759B2 - Separator and fuel cell - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a fuel cell separator in which a conductive portion having an electrode surface portion is surrounded by an insulating portion, and a fuel cell in which a membrane electrode structure is sandwiched between the separators.

In the fuel cell, for example, a solid polymer electrolyte membrane is sandwiched between the anode side electrode and the cathode side electrode from both sides, and a separator is provided on the outer side to constitute a unit fuel cell (hereinafter referred to as “unit cell”). There is.
This type of fuel cell is often used as a fuel cell stack (hereinafter referred to as “stack”) by stacking a plurality of the unit cells in actual use in order to secure a generated voltage. In order to monitor the power generation state of each unit cell, it is necessary to measure the cell voltage.

Since conventional conductive materials such as carbon and metal have been used for conventional separators (hereinafter referred to as “conductive separators”), by forming a part of the separator into the shape of a cell voltage measuring terminal, or A cell hole could be easily measured from the outside by making a round hole in the outer peripheral surface of the electrode and connecting one end of the output terminal to the round hole with a banana clip (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
JP-A-9-283166

  However, when a stack is formed using this conductive separator, there is a possibility that an electric leakage (liquid junction) or a ground fault may occur through the cooling water (refrigerant) flow path due to a potential difference between unit cells. The cooling water is required to have a high degree of insulation, and it is necessary to install an ion exchanger in order to remove conductive ions.

As a countermeasure, in recent years, a conductive material such as a metal is used for a portion in contact with the electrode (electrode surface portion), and a portion other than the electrode surface portion, that is, a portion where the reaction gas or cooling water communication hole is formed in the outer peripheral portion of the electrode surface portion. A so-called composite separator using an insulating material is proposed.
When a stack is configured using this composite separator, the cooling water edge surface distance (insulation distance) between unit cells becomes long, so that high insulation is not required for the cooling water. Rust generation can also be suppressed. Furthermore, since the outer edge portion of the separator is made of an insulating material, a ground fault with the outside can be effectively prevented.

As described above, the composite separator has an insulating structure on the outer side in the surface direction of the electrode surface portion (separator outer peripheral side), so that it is possible to effectively prevent a liquid junction due to cooling water or an external ground fault. On the other hand, it has the disadvantage that it becomes very difficult to measure the cell voltage.
Under such circumstances, it is desired to develop a technique that can monitor the power generation state of each unit cell while preventing liquid junction and ground fault.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to make it possible to easily measure a cell voltage from the outside while preventing a liquid junction of a refrigerant and a ground fault with the outside. is there.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention employs the following means.
In the invention according to claim 1, the conductive portion (for example, the conductive portions 31 and 41 in the embodiment described later) having the electrode surface portion (for example, the electrode surface portions 31A and 41A in the embodiment described later) is an insulating portion (for example, A separator for a fuel cell surrounded by insulating portions 32, 42) in embodiments described later,
Inner and outer connecting terminals (for example, cell-side terminals 47 and 48 in the embodiments described later) that extend from the inner peripheral side to the outer peripheral side of the insulating part are integrally formed with the insulating part, and the fuel cell The separator is characterized in that the internal / external connection terminal is electrically connected to the electrode surface portion during assembly (for example, a cathode side separator 3 and an anode side separator 4 in an embodiment described later).
If a fuel cell is configured using such a separator, and the terminal on the cell voltage measuring device side is connected to the outer peripheral side end of the inner / outer connection terminal, the fuel cell is prevented from being grounded by the insulating part. In contrast, electrical connection inside and outside the fuel cell is ensured.

The invention according to claim 2 is the separator according to claim 1,
The inside / outside connection terminal is characterized in that at least a part (for example, a part 47b of a cell side terminal 47 in an embodiment described later) is embedded in the insulating part.
According to this configuration, since a part of the internal / external connection terminal is integrated with the separator, it is not necessary to assemble the internal / external connection terminal as a separate part to the separator. Further, the inner / outer connection terminal is not positioned relative to the separator.

The invention according to claim 3 is the separator according to claim 2,
The internal / external connection terminal is embedded in the insulating portion on a seal contact surface of the insulating portion (for example, a seal contact surface 32D in an embodiment described later).
If a fuel cell is configured using such a separator, the inner and outer communication terminals are not exposed on the seal contact surface where the seal member contacts the insulating portion, and the formation of irregularities on the seal contact surface is suppressed.

The invention according to claim 4 is the separator according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
Between the conductive portion and the insulating portion, there is a coupling portion made of an elastic body (for example, coupling portions 33 and 43 in the embodiments described later).
According to this configuration, a difference in thermal expansion that can occur between the insulating portion and the conductive portion when the temperature changes can be absorbed by the coupling portion.

The invention according to claim 5 is the separator according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
The insulating portion includes a communication hole through which a reaction gas or a refrigerant flows (for example, an inlet-side oxidant gas communication hole 34a, an outlet-side oxidant gas communication hole 34b, an inlet-side fuel gas communication hole 35a, an outlet in an embodiment described later) A side fuel gas communication hole 35b, an inlet side cooling water communication hole 36a, and an outlet side cooling water communication hole 36b).
According to this configuration, the potential can be easily taken out from the outside while effectively preventing the liquid junction caused by the refrigerant flowing through the communication hole by the insulating portion.

The invention according to claim 6 includes electrodes (for example, a cathode side gas diffusion electrode 22 and an anode side gas diffusion electrode in embodiments described later) on both sides of an electrolyte (for example, a solid polymer electrolyte membrane 21 in embodiments described later). 23) a fuel cell comprising a membrane electrode structure provided with a pair of separators,
A separator according to any one of claims 1 to 5 is used for at least one of the separators. A fuel cell (for example, unit cell 1 in an embodiment described later).
According to this configuration, it is possible to easily take out the potential from the outside while effectively preventing the liquid junction due to the refrigerant and the ground fault with the outside by the insulating portion.

In the invention according to claim 7, the conductive portion (for example, the conductive portions 31 and 41 in the embodiment described later) having the electrode surface portion (for example, the electrode surface portions 31A and 41A in the embodiment described later) is an insulating portion (for example, An electrolyte (for example, an embodiment to be described later) is formed by a pair of separators (for example, a cathode side separator 3 and an anode side separator 4 in an embodiment to be described later) surrounded by insulating portions 32 and 42 in the embodiment to be described later. The membrane electrode structure (for example, an embodiment to be described later) is provided with electrodes (for example, the cathode side gas diffusion electrode 22 and the anode side gas diffusion electrode 23 in the embodiment described later) on both sides of the solid polymer electrolyte membrane 21 in FIG. A fuel cell configured to sandwich a membrane electrode structure 2) in the form,
At least one insulating portion of the separator is formed integrally with the insulating portion by internal and external connection terminals (for example, cell side terminals 47 and 48 in the embodiments described later) extending from the inner peripheral side to the outer peripheral side, A fuel cell (for example, a unit cell in an embodiment to be described later) having an inner peripheral side end in contact with the membrane electrode structure or the conductive part electrically connected to the membrane electrode structure 1).
According to this configuration, if the terminal on the cell voltage measuring device side is connected to the outer peripheral side end of the inner and outer connecting terminals, the inner peripheral end of the inner and outer connecting terminals becomes a contact point with the membrane electrode structure or the conductive part. Therefore, an electrical connection between the inside and outside of the fuel cell is ensured even for the fuel cell in which the grounding prevention from the outside is performed by the insulating portion.

The invention according to claim 8 is the fuel cell according to claim 7,
Sandwiching the membrane electrode assembly, on the opposite side of the contact portion between the inner and outer contact terminals and the membrane electrode assembly, the sealing member (e.g., rib-like sealing member 51 b of the inner side in the embodiment described below) Is provided.
According to this configuration, the contact between the internal / external communication terminal and the membrane electrode structure can be ensured by the elastic restoring force from the seal member.

The invention according to claim 9 is the fuel cell according to claim 7 or 8, wherein
The insulating portion includes a communication hole through which a reaction gas or a refrigerant flows (for example, an inlet-side oxidant gas communication hole 34a, an outlet-side oxidant gas communication hole 34b, an inlet-side fuel gas communication hole 35a, an outlet in an embodiment described later) A side fuel gas communication hole 35b, an inlet side cooling water communication hole 36a, and an outlet side cooling water communication hole 36b).
According to this configuration, the potential can be easily taken out from the outside while effectively preventing the liquid junction caused by the refrigerant flowing through the communication hole by the insulating portion.

According to the present invention, the following effects are obtained.
According to the first aspect of the present invention, even if the fuel cell in which the grounding prevention from the outside is performed by the insulating portion is configured, if the terminal of the cell voltage measuring device is connected to the outer peripheral side end portion of the inner and outer connection terminals. Since electrical connection inside and outside the fuel cell is secured, the potential can be easily taken out from the outside.

  According to the invention which concerns on Claim 2, since a part of internal / external connection terminal is integrated with the separator, it is not necessary to assemble | attach an internal / external connection terminal to a separator as another component, and an assembly man-hour can be reduced. Further, the internal / external communication terminal is not positioned with respect to the separator, and a good electrical contact state can be maintained with respect to the membrane electrode structure or the conductive portion.

  According to the third aspect of the present invention, since the inner and outer connecting terminals are not exposed on the seal contact surface where the seal member is in contact with the insulating portion, formation of irregularities on the seal contact surface can be suppressed, and the reliability of the sealing performance is further improved. Can be increased.

  According to the fourth aspect of the invention, since the difference in thermal expansion that can occur between the insulating portion and the conductive portion when the temperature changes can be absorbed by the joint portion, the connection boundary between the insulating portion and the conductive portion is broken. It is possible to maintain good sealing performance while effectively avoiding.

  According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, the potential can be easily taken out from the outside while effectively preventing the liquid junction caused by the refrigerant flowing through the communication hole by the insulating portion.

  According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, it is possible to easily take out the potential from the outside while effectively preventing the liquid junction due to the refrigerant and the ground fault with the outside by the insulating portion.

  According to the invention which concerns on Claim 7, if the terminal of a cell voltage measuring device is connected to the outer peripheral side end part of the inner and outer connecting terminal, the inner peripheral side end part of the inner and outer connecting terminal is a contact point with the membrane electrode structure or the conductive part Therefore, even in the fuel cell in which the grounding prevention from the outside is performed by the insulating portion, the electrical connection inside and outside the fuel cell is secured, and the potential can be easily taken out from the outside.

  According to the invention which concerns on Claim 8, contact with an internal / external communication terminal and a membrane electrode structure can be ensured with the elastic restoring force from a sealing member.

  According to the ninth aspect of the present invention, the potential can be easily taken out from the outside while effectively preventing the liquid junction caused by the refrigerant flowing through the communication hole by the insulating portion.

The best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a unit fuel cell according to an embodiment of the present invention.
This unit fuel cell (hereinafter referred to as “unit cell 1”) includes a membrane electrode structure (MEA) 2 and a cathode side separator 3 and an anode side separator 4 sandwiching the membrane electrode structure (MEA) 2. A large number of unit cells 1 are stacked as shown in FIG. 3 to form, for example, a fuel cell stack for vehicles (hereinafter referred to as “stack 5”).

The membrane electrode structure 2 includes a solid polymer electrolyte membrane 21, a cathode side gas diffusion electrode 22 and an anode side gas diffusion electrode 23 that sandwich the solid polymer electrolyte membrane 21 from the outside, and these solid polymer electrolyte membranes 21. It comprises a catalyst layer (not shown) containing platinum provided between the cathode side and anode side gas diffusion electrodes 22, 23.
The membrane electrode structure 2 is a step structure in which the cathode side gas diffusion electrode 22 has substantially the same size, but the anode side gas diffusion electrode 23 has a small size, based on the outer dimensions of the solid polymer electrolyte membrane 21. I am doing.

  Each of the cathode side separator 3 and the anode side separator 4 surrounds the outer periphery of the conductive parts 31 and 41 made of metal (for example, stainless steel, Hastelloy, Inconel, Au, Cu, Ni, Al, Ti, etc.). The provided insulating parts 32 and 42 made of resin are interconnected via coupling parts 33 and 43 made of an elastic material such as silicon rubber.

The cathode-side and anode-side conductive portions 31 and 41 are formed in a cross-sectional waveform in which flat peaks and valleys are alternately continued by press-molding a metal plate. The outer surfaces of the valley portions of the conductive portions 31 and 41 are in surface contact with the outer surfaces of the membrane electrode structure 2 sandwiched between them, and the contact surfaces contact the electrode surface portions 31A and 41A in the separators 3 and 4, respectively. It is composed.
These conductive portions 31 and 41 are not limited to being made of metal, and may be made of a conductive material such as carbon or conductive resin.

As shown in FIG. 2, the insulating portions 32 and 42 of the cathode-side and anode-side separators 3 and 4 are formed by injection molding of resin and spaced in the circumferential direction at the inlet-side oxidant gas communication holes 34a and outlet-side oxidation. It is formed in a rectangular frame shape having an agent gas communication hole 34b, an inlet side fuel gas communication hole 35a, an outlet side fuel gas communication hole 35b, an inlet side cooling water communication hole 36a, and an outlet side cooling water communication hole 36b. FIG. 2 shows the cathode separator 3.
These insulating parts 32 and 42 are not limited to resin, but may be made of an insulating material such as rubber, silicon or ceramics.

In the present embodiment, a cell side terminal (internal / external connection terminal) 47 made of a metal plate that enables electrical connection (conduction) inside and outside the cell is provided on the inner surface side of the cathode side insulating portion 32, and the anode side The insulating portion 42 is provided with a rib-like seal member (seal member) 51 disposed so as to surround the electrode surface portions 31A and 41A in a double manner.
Hereinafter, the configuration of each of the cathode side and the anode side will be described in detail.

  The cathode-side insulating portion 32 has an inner surface (surface on the electrode surface portion 31A side) substantially flush with the electrode surface portion 31A of the cathode-side conductive portion 31, and the membrane electrode structure 2 is separated from the outside by a pair of separators 3, When the unit cell 1 is assembled by being sandwiched between 4, the inner peripheral side inner surface 32 </ b> A inward of the cathode-side insulating portion 32 and the electrode surface portion 31 </ b> A of the cathode-side conductive portion 31 is formed. 2 is in close contact.

  The cell side terminal 47 provided on the inner surface side of the cathode side insulating portion 32 is integrally formed with the resin portion 32a by so-called resin insert molding, and comes into contact with the cathode side outer surface 2A of the membrane electrode structure 2. The inner surface 32A has good flatness, and the inner peripheral side inner surface 32A and the valley outer surface 31A have the same height and no step.

  The insertion position of the cell-side terminal 47 into the resin portion 32a is such that these cooling water communication holes are used from the viewpoint of effectively preventing the liquid junction of the cooling water (refrigerant) flowing through the inlet side and outlet side cooling water communication holes 36a, 36b. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the cell-side terminal 47 is connected to the resin portion 32a between the two inlet-side oxidant gas communication holes 34a, 34a. Insert molded.

  The insert position of the cell side terminal 47 is not limited to the position shown in FIG. , 35b, or between the inlet side or outlet side oxidant gas communication holes 34a, 34b and the outlet side or inlet side fuel gas communication holes 35b, 35a.

The inner peripheral side end portion 47 a of the cell side terminal 47 is a portion in contact with the cathode side outer surface 2 A of the membrane electrode structure 2 and is exposed to the inner peripheral side inner surface 32 A of the cathode side insulating portion 32.
On the other hand, of the rib-like seal member 51 provided between the anode-side insulating portion 42, the outer rib-like seal member (seal member) 51a includes a seal contact surface 32D that contacts the cathode-side insulating portion 32. In a certain range, a part 47b of the cell side terminal 47 is embedded in the resin portion 32a.

  A part 47b of the cell side terminal 47 is embedded in the resin portion 32a because the outer rib-shaped seal member 51a is in contact with the membrane electrode structure 2 at the seal contact surface 32D in contact with the cathode side insulating portion 32. When exposed to the inner peripheral side inner surface 32A like the peripheral side end portion 47a, a gap or a step is inevitably generated at the joint portion between the resin portion 32a and the cell side terminal 47, and gas can be communicated between the inside and outside of the gap. Because it becomes.

In the present embodiment, at least on the seal contact surface 32D with which the outer rib-shaped seal member 51a contacts, since the cell-side terminal 47 is embedded in the resin portion 32a, the seal contact surface 32D is uneven. There is no.
If the cell-side terminal 47 is configured not to be exposed to the seal contact surface 32D, a part 47b of the cell-side terminal 47 may be once exposed to the outer surface side (the side opposite to the electrode surface portions 31A and 41A) of the resin portion 32a.

The outer peripheral side end portion 47c of the cell side terminal 47, in other words, the portion on the outer side in the surface direction (outer peripheral side) than the seal contact surface 32D where the outer rib-shaped seal member 51a contacts the insulating portion 32a is cathode side insulating. The terminal 32 is exposed on both the outer peripheral side inner surface 32B and the outer peripheral end surface 32C, and a terminal on the cell voltage measuring device side (hereinafter referred to as “measurement side terminal 61”) is connected to at least one of the exposed portions. .
The outer peripheral end 47c may be exposed only on one of the outer peripheral inner surface 32B and the outer peripheral end surface 32C.

On the surface opposite to the seal contact surface 32D where the outer rib-shaped seal member 51a contacts the cathode-side insulating portion 32, that is, on the outer surface opposite to the electrode surface portions 31A and 41A side, a recess 34 that is recessed by one step is formed. Has been.
Further, on the inner peripheral side of the cathode-side insulating portion 32, a stepped portion 35 whose outer surface is recessed by one step, and a flange portion that is flush with the stepped portion 35 and extends inward in the plane direction (inner peripheral side). 36 is formed.

The cathode-side insulating portion 32 and the cathode-side conductive portion 31 are bonded to each other via a coupling portion 33 made of an elastic body such as silicon rubber.
That is, since the thermal expansion coefficient is generally different between the conductive material and the insulating material, when the insulating portion 32 made of the insulating material and the conductive portion 31 made of the conductive material are directly bonded, the temperature changes. Although thermal distortion may occur and the sealing performance may be impaired, in the present embodiment, the elastic coupling portion 33 can absorb the difference in thermal expansion between them, so that a good sealing performance is maintained.

Next, the configuration of the anode side insulating portion 42 will be described.
A concave portion 37 is formed in a substantially central portion of the inner surface of the anode-side insulating portion 42 (surface on the electrode surface portions 31 </ b> A and 41 </ b> A side), and the rib-shaped sealing member 51 is integrated with the coupling portion 43 in the concave portion 37. Is housed.
The rib-like seal member 51 may be separate from the coupling portion 43.

  Of the rib-shaped seal members 51, the outer rib-shaped seal member 51a presses the buried portion of the cell-side terminal 47 in the cathode-side insulating portion 32, and the inner rib-shaped seal member 51b is a solid polymer electrolyte. Through the membrane 21 and the cathode side gas diffusion electrode 22, the inner peripheral side inner surface 32A where the cell side terminal 47 is exposed in the cathode side insulating portion 32 is pressed.

  Thus, the anode gas seal is established by sandwiching the membrane electrode structure 2 between the anode side insulating portion 42 and the cathode side insulating portion 32 via the inner rib-like seal member 51b. The inner peripheral side end 47a of the cell side terminal 47 provided exposed to the inner peripheral side inner surface 32A of the cathode side insulating portion 32 by the sealing surface pressure generated by the elastic restoring force of the inner rib-shaped sealing member 51b is a membrane electrode. The cell side terminal 47 and the membrane electrode structure 2 are more reliably brought into contact with each other by being pressed against the structure 2.

  As described above, according to the separator 3 according to the present embodiment, the unit cell 1 including the separators 3 and 4, and the stack 5 formed by stacking a plurality of the unit cells 1, the measurement side terminal 61 Is inserted between the cathode-side and anode-side insulating portions 32 and 42 and connected to the outer peripheral side end portion 47c of the cell-side terminal 47, the electric conduction between the inside and outside of the cell and inside and outside of the stack is ensured. In addition, the cell voltage can be measured from the outside without impairing the sealing performance while maintaining the insulation performance from the outside.

Further, the contact pressure sufficient for measuring the cell voltage can be generated between the cell-side terminal 47 and the membrane electrode structure 2 by the sealing surface pressure by the inner rib-like seal member 51b, so that the contact resistance is lowered and accurate. Measurement is possible.
Furthermore, since the cell side terminal 47 is disposed between the inlet side oxidant gas communication holes 34a and 34a, avoiding the periphery of the inlet side and outlet side cooling water communication holes 36a and 36b, Electric leakage (liquid junction) can be effectively prevented.

  Further, when the cell-side terminal 47 is insert-molded into the resin portion 32a, a part 47b of the cell-side terminal 47 is formed on the seal contact surface 32D where the outer rib-shaped seal member 51a contacts the cathode-side insulating portion 32. Since it is buried inside the portion 32a, it is possible to effectively prevent the formation of irregularities on the seal line, and to improve the reliability of the sealing performance.

  Furthermore, by connecting the conductive portions 31, 41 having different thermal expansion coefficients to each other and the insulating portions 32, 42 via a coupling portion 33 made of an elastic material such as silicon rubber, a thermal strain absorption structure is established. As a result, the connection interface does not break or cause a sealing failure.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and for example, the following configuration can be adopted.
(1) Instead of connecting the measurement side terminal 61 to each unit cell 1 and taking out the cell potential for each unit cell 1, the measurement side terminal 61 may be connected every n cells (n = 1 or more integer). .
(2) Instead of bringing the inner peripheral side end 47a of the cell side terminal 47 into contact with the cathode side outer surface 2A of the membrane electrode structure 2, the anode side outer surface of the membrane electrode structure 2 and the conductive portions 31 of the separators 3 and 4 , 32 may be contacted.

(3) If the measurement side terminal 61 can be connected, the outermost peripheral end of the cell side terminal 47 may be positioned on the inner peripheral side of the outer peripheral end surface 32 </ b> C of the insulating portion 32.
(4) The cell side terminal 47 may be provided in the anode side insulating part 31 in place of the cathode side insulating part 32 or together with the cathode side insulating part 32.
In such a case, for example, as shown in FIG. 4, the inner peripheral side end portion 48a and the outer peripheral side end portion 48c of the cell side terminal 48 are exposed to the inner surface side of the resin portion 42a, and the other portion 48b is exposed to the resin portion 42a. Just embed it inside.

(5) Instead of insert-molding the cell-side terminal 47 made of a metal plate when molding the resin portion 32a of the cathode-side insulating portion 32, only the resin portion 32a forming the main body of the cathode-side insulating portion 32 is injection-molded in advance. The internal and external communication terminals may be provided by molding the resin portion 32a and subjecting the resin portion 32a to various surface treatments such as partial plating of a conductive material or vapor deposition by PVD or CVD.
Moreover, you may affix the metal foil produced beforehand to the resin part 32a.

(6) The structure is not limited to the structure in which the conductive portions 31 and 41 and the insulating portions 32 and 42 are completely separated by the coupling portions 33 and 43, and at least a part of the conductive portions 31 and 41 is included in the insulating portions 32 and 42. An intricate structure may be used.
(7) In the membrane electrode structure 2, the cathode side gas diffusion electrode 22 and the anode side gas diffusion electrode 23 may be the same size.

It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows a part of fuel cell which concerns on one embodiment of this invention. It is the top view which looked at the cathode side separator shown in FIG. 1 from the inner surface side (electrode surface part side). It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows a part of fuel cell stack comprised by laminating | stacking multiple fuel cells shown in FIG. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows a part of fuel cell which concerns on other embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

1 unit cell (fuel cell)
2 Membrane electrode structure 3 Cathode side separator 4 Anode side separator 5 Stack 21 Solid polymer electrolyte membrane (electrolyte)
22 Cathode side gas diffusion electrode (electrode)
23 Anode side gas diffusion electrode (electrode)
31, 41 Conductive part 31A, 41A Electrode surface part 32, 42 Insulating part 33, 43 Coupling part 32D Seal contact surface 34a Inlet side oxidant gas communication hole (communication hole)
34b Outlet side oxidant gas communication hole (communication hole)
35a Inlet fuel gas communication hole (communication hole)
35b Outlet side fuel gas communication hole (communication hole)
36a Inlet side cooling water communication hole (communication hole)
36b Outlet side cooling water communication hole (communication hole)
47, 48 Cell side terminal (internal / external connection terminal)
47a, 48a Inner peripheral end 47c, 48c Outer peripheral end 51a Outer rib-shaped seal member (seal member)

Claims (9)

A separator for a fuel cell in which a conductive portion having an electrode surface portion is surrounded by an insulating portion,
Inner and outer connecting terminals extending from the inner peripheral side to the outer peripheral side of the insulating part are integrally formed with the insulating part, and the inner and outer connecting terminals are electrically connected to the electrode surface part when the fuel cell is assembled. A separator characterized by that.   The separator according to claim 1, wherein at least a part of the internal / external communication terminal is embedded in the insulating portion.   The separator according to claim 2, wherein the internal / external connection terminal is embedded in the insulating portion on a seal contact surface of the insulating portion.   The separator according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a coupling portion made of an elastic body between the conductive portion and the insulating portion.   The separator according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the insulating portion has a communication hole through which a reaction gas or a refrigerant flows. A fuel cell configured by sandwiching a membrane electrode structure having electrodes on both sides of an electrolyte between a pair of separators,
A fuel cell, wherein the separator according to any one of claims 1 to 5 is used for at least one of the separators. A fuel cell configured by sandwiching a membrane electrode structure in which electrodes are provided on both sides of an electrolyte by a pair of separators in which a conductive portion having an electrode surface portion is surrounded by an insulating portion,
At least one insulating portion of the separator is integrally formed with an inner and outer connecting terminal extending from the inner peripheral side to the outer peripheral side, and the inner peripheral side end thereof is the membrane electrode structure or the membrane electrode. A fuel cell, wherein the fuel cell is in contact with the conductive portion electrically connected to the structure . 8. The fuel cell according to claim 7, wherein a seal member is provided on a side opposite to a contact portion between the membrane electrode structure and the internal / external communication terminal with the membrane electrode structure interposed therebetween .   9. The fuel cell according to claim 7, wherein the insulating portion has a communication hole through which a reaction gas or a refrigerant flows.

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