JP4575658B2 - Ion exchange membrane manufacturing apparatus and manufacturing method - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for producing an ion exchange membrane used in a polymer electrolyte fuel cell, a water electrolysis device, etc., and particularly, when used in a fuel cell, durability and chemical stability are improved. The present invention relates to a production apparatus and a production method capable of producing an ion exchange membrane continuously and efficiently.

  In a conventional method for producing an ion exchange membrane, a stretched porous membrane is impregnated with a polymer dissolved in a solvent, dried to adhere the polymer to the porous membrane, and then an ion exchange group is introduced into the polymer. That is, an ion exchange group is introduced after impregnating a polymer dissolved in a solvent into at least pores of a porous film such as a fluororesin prepared by stretching and adhering to the porous film by drying (for example, , See Patent Document 1).

As another method for producing an ion exchange membrane, at least one layer of a woven fabric made of one or two or more kinds of fluorine-containing polymers having one or two or more functional groups and a fluorine-containing polymer fiber is used. There are some which apply pressure treatment to the film surface of a laminated film formed by laminating layers. That is, it is characterized by pressurizing a film surface in which a woven fabric made of fluoropolymer fibers woven vertically and horizontally is laminated on a layer made of a fluoropolymer (see, for example, Patent Document 2).
JP-A-9-194609 JP 2000-234031 A

  By the way, the manufacturing method of the ion exchange membrane having the above-described structure has a problem in that the polymer is soluble in a solvent, so that the chemical stability is low and the electrolyte performance is easily deteriorated. That is, since the ion exchange membrane is produced using a polymer dissolved in a solvent, the above-described problems have occurred. In addition, the membrane easily deteriorates due to the swelling change caused by the water content of the electrolyte membrane, and there is a problem that the durability of the fuel cell or the like is shortened. Furthermore, the electrolyte has water retention, and the electrolyte swells due to the movement of protons in the membrane or the purification of water at the electrode, but the porous body does not swell. There was a problem that conductivity was lowered. Electrolyte resin (H-type resin) that has been hydrolyzed in an alcohol solvent and mixed with proton conductivity can be impregnated to give the porous body electrolyte performance, but the intermolecular bonds are weak and soluble. Therefore, there is a problem that it is easily affected by radicals generated at the electrode.

  The present invention has been made in view of such problems, and the object of the present invention is to continuously and efficiently produce an ion exchange membrane that is chemically stable and hardly causes deterioration in electrolyte performance. It is in providing the manufacturing apparatus and manufacturing method which can be performed. Another object of the present invention is to provide an ion exchange membrane manufacturing apparatus and a manufacturing method capable of improving strength, suppressing collapse of pores of a porous membrane (base material sheet), and improving the stability of bonding with an electrode catalyst. .

  In order to achieve the above object, an apparatus for producing an ion exchange membrane according to the present invention comprises means for continuously feeding a porous membrane, and pressure-impregnating a molten electrolyte polymer into the porous membrane to form an electrolyte membrane. And a means for imparting ion exchange properties to the electrolyte polymer in the electrolyte membrane. The porous membrane serving as the base sheet is preferably a porous membrane having a porosity of about 50 to 95%, and preferably functions as a reinforcing material. The electrolyte polymer is preferably a polymer electrolyte polymer such as perfluorosulfonyl floyd.

  The apparatus for producing an ion exchange membrane of the present invention configured as described above forms an electrolyte membrane by pressurizing and impregnating a molten electrolyte polymer into a porous membrane that is continuously fed, and then in the electrolyte membrane Electrolyte polymer is given ion exchange properties, means for feeding porous membranes, means for heating and melting electrolyte polymers to form electrolyte membranes in porous membranes, and hydrolyzing devices that give ion exchange properties to electrolyte polymers Etc. can be simplified by installing them continuously. Further, since the porous membrane can be continuously moved at a constant speed, the ion exchange membrane can be continuously produced. Since the ion exchange membrane manufactured by this manufacturing apparatus is formed by pressure-impregnating an electrolyte membrane, the surface uniformity can be improved.

  As a preferred embodiment of the apparatus for producing an ion exchange membrane according to the present invention, on the premise of the above-mentioned ion exchange membrane production apparatus, the apparatus further comprises means for cooling the porous body membrane impregnated with the electrolyte polymer and formed with the electrolyte membrane. It is characterized by. By providing the cooling means, it is possible to efficiently cool the porous membrane heated by forming the electrolyte membrane with the heated and melted electrolyte polymer in a series of steps, so that the ion exchange membrane can be produced efficiently. it can.

  Moreover, as another preferable aspect of the apparatus for producing an ion exchange membrane according to the present invention, the apparatus further includes means for storing an ion exchange membrane imparted with ion exchange properties on the premise of the ion exchange membrane production apparatus. It is characterized by. By providing the storage means, the completed ion exchange membrane can be stored efficiently, and the efficiency of the manufacturing process from the manufacture of the ion exchange membrane to the storage can be improved. Further, it is preferable that the means for feeding the porous membrane is a continuous feeding of the porous membrane.

  The method for producing an ion exchange membrane according to the present invention includes a step of continuously feeding a porous membrane, a step of pressure impregnating a molten electrolyte polymer in the porous membrane to form an electrolyte membrane, and the electrolyte And a step of imparting ion exchange properties to the electrolyte polymer in the membrane. Moreover, it is preferable to further include a step of cooling the porous membrane on which the electrolyte membrane is formed as a subsequent step of the step of forming the electrolyte membrane, and imparting ion exchange properties as a subsequent step of the step of imparting ion exchange properties. It is preferable to further include a step of storing the ion exchange membrane. The step of feeding the porous membrane is preferably performed by continuously feeding the porous membrane.

  According to the above-described method for producing an ion exchange membrane, an ion exchange membrane can be efficiently produced by using a series of steps including a porous membrane feeding step, an electrolyte membrane forming step, and an ion exchange property imparting step. In addition, by providing a cooling step after the electrolyte membrane forming step, and further by storing a completed ion exchange membrane after the ion exchange property imparting step, a more efficient ion exchange membrane Manufacturing can be achieved.

  The porous membrane used in the ion exchange membrane produced by the production apparatus or the production method described above preferably has a porosity of 50 to 95%. The ion exchange membrane produced in this way can form an electrolyte membrane without creating an interface state on the porous membrane, improving the stability of bonding with the electrode catalyst, and controlling proton conductivity and water. Will improve. Further, the strength of the electrolyte membrane can be improved, and the durability of the porous membrane can be improved by suppressing the collapse of the pores of the porous membrane.

  According to the apparatus and method for producing an ion exchange membrane of the present invention, an ion exchange membrane that is excellent in durability, chemically stable, electrolyte performance is hardly deteriorated, and is suitable for a fuel cell continuously and efficiently. Can be manufactured. Further, the ion exchange membrane of the present invention improves the stability of bonding with the electrode catalyst, and improves proton conductivity and water controllability. Furthermore, the strength of the electrolyte membrane can be improved and the durability can be improved.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of an apparatus for producing an ion exchange membrane according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram showing an ion exchange membrane manufacturing apparatus according to the present embodiment, and FIG. 2 is an overall configuration diagram in which a control system is added to the manufacturing apparatus of FIG. 1 and 2, an ion exchange membrane manufacturing apparatus 1 includes a feeding means 10 that feeds a material roll 3 around which a porous membrane 2 serving as a base sheet of an ion exchange membrane is wound, and a fed porous material. Means 20 for forming the electrolyte membranes 4 and 5 on the body membrane 2, means 30 and 31 for cooling the porous membrane 2 on which the electrolyte membranes 4 and 5 are formed, and imparting ion exchange properties to the cooled porous membrane 2 The means 35 for producing the ion exchange membrane 6, the means 36 for drying the produced ion exchange membrane 6, and the means 40 for storing the dried and completed ion exchange membrane 6 are provided.

  The porous membrane 2 to be a base sheet used in the present embodiment is made of, for example, a fluororesin or other resin that is stretched at least in the uniaxial direction at a temperature not higher than the crystal melting point, and then in the stretched state not lower than the crystal melting point. When heated to a porous sheet having a three-dimensional network structure, it functions as a reinforcing material. Examples of the fluororesin include polytetrafluoroethylene, and other resins include polyethylene and polypropylene. The average molecular weight of these resins is preferably in the range of hundreds of thousands to tens of millions.

The thickness of the porous membrane thus produced is preferably 10 to 200 μm, and the pore diameter is preferably 0.05 to 10 μm on average. Further, the porosity is preferably 50 to 95%, and particularly preferably in the range of 70 to 95%. The ion exchange membrane manufacturing apparatus 1 of the present embodiment impregnates at least the pores of the porous membrane 2 with the molten electrolyte polymer, and then, for example, —SO ₃ H, —N ⁺ H ₃ , —COOH, etc. An ion exchange membrane 6 is produced by introducing ion exchange groups.

  The ion exchange membrane manufacturing apparatus 1 of the present embodiment is a first feeding roll 11 that feeds the porous membrane 2 supplied from the material roll 3 around which the porous membrane 2 having the above-described configuration is wound as the feeding means 10. The downstream second feed roll 12 is in contact with each surface of the porous membrane 2. In the first feeding roll 11 portion, the porous membrane 2 is in contact with one surface at an angle range of 90 degrees, and the feeding auxiliary roll 13 is in contact with the other surface side. Further, the porous film 2 is in contact with the other surface of the second feeding roll 12 at an angle range of 90 degrees, and the film thickness adjusting roll 14 is in contact with one surface side. The first and second feeding rolls 11 and 12, the feeding auxiliary roll 13, and the film thickness adjusting roll 14 give the porous film 2 an appropriate tension and feed it without loosening.

  A first screw extruder 21 that impregnates the polymer electrolyte polymer while being pressed against the porous membrane 2 is installed on the upstream side of the first feed roll 11, and similarly, on the upstream side of the second feed roll 12. A second screw extruder 22 for impregnating the polymer electrolyte polymer while pressing it against the porous membrane 2 is installed. The screw extruders 21 and 22 pressurize and supply the heated and melted electrolyte polymer to the porous membrane 2 from the resin molds 23 and 24 with the feeding rolls 11 and 12 interposed therebetween, and the porous membrane together with the feeding rolls 11 and 12. 2 constitutes means 20 for forming electrolyte membranes 4 and 5.

  The first screw extruder 21 is formed by attaching the electrolyte membrane 4 to one surface side of the porous membrane 2, and the second screw extruder 22 is attached by the electrolyte membrane 5 to the other surface side of the porous membrane 2. To form. That is, in the heat insulation type screw extruders 21 and 22, the polymer electrolyte polymer is stirred while being melted, extruded from the resin molds 23 and 24 while being compressed, and pressure-impregnated on both surfaces of the porous membrane 2. . As the electrolyte polymer, perfluorosulfonyl floyd is used, but styrene resin, polyimide, polyamide and the like may be used.

  The film thickness adjusting roll 14 facing the second feeding roll 12 with the porous membrane 2 interposed therebetween is formed by an adjusting mechanism (not shown) that moves forward and backward with respect to the second feeding roll 12. It is fed while adjusting the thickness of 5. The amount of the electrolyte polymer (F-type polymer) supplied to the porous membrane 2 is an amount equivalent to a thickness of about several tens of μm as the amount of impregnation into the porous membrane 2, and the surface has a thickness of several to several tens of μm. This is an amount capable of forming the electrolyte membranes 4 and 5. Thereby, the entrainment of air at the time of impregnation can be prevented, and the porous film 2 is uniformly impregnated from both surfaces. That is, the electrolyte polymer is supplied from one side of the porous membrane 2 by the first screw extruder 21, the electrolyte polymer is supplied to the other side of the porous membrane 2 by the second screw extruder 22, and the film thickness adjusting roll 14 is The total thickness of the electrolyte membranes 4 and 5 formed on both surfaces is adjusted. The first feeding roll 11, the second feeding roll 12, the feeding auxiliary roll 13, and the film thickness adjusting roll 14 are kept warm and have the same temperature as the resin molds 23 and 24 for resin extrusion for extruding the electrolyte polymer. To be kept.

  On the downstream side of the first and second screw extruders 21 and 22, a natural cooling unit 30 including a blower, for example, is installed as a cooling means. Although this natural cooling part is not necessarily required, it has a function of efficiently cooling the porous membrane 2 heated together with the downstream forced cooling part 31. The forced cooling unit 31 installed downstream of the natural cooling unit 30 includes two cooling rolls 32 and 33 and one feed auxiliary roll 34. The first and second cooling rolls 32 and 33 and the feeding auxiliary roll 34 also constitute a feeding means for the porous membrane 2 and feed the porous membrane 2 in a stable state. In addition, the natural cooling part may dissipate heat without providing a blower.

  The porous membrane 2 is sent between the first cooling roll 32 and the feeding auxiliary roll 34, the first cooling roll 32 is in contact with one surface of the porous membrane 2, and the feeding auxiliary roll 34 The second cooling roll 33 on the downstream side is in contact with the other surface of the porous membrane 2. The porous membrane 2 on which the electrolyte membranes 4 and 5 are formed by the first and second cooling rolls 32 and 33 is radiated and cooled by heat conduction. The first cooling roll 32 is in contact with one electrolyte membrane 4 of the porous membrane 2 at an angle range of 90 degrees, and the second cooling roll 33 is opposed to the other electrolyte membrane 5 of the porous membrane 2 at an angle range of 90 degrees. The both sides of the porous membrane 2 can be efficiently and uniformly cooled by being in contact with each other and having a wide contact angle range and making contact at the same angle as the electrolyte membranes 4 and 5 on both sides.

A hydrolysis apparatus 35 is installed downstream of the forced cooling unit 31 as means for providing ion exchange properties and producing an ion exchange membrane. The hydrolyzing device 35 uses the water permeability of the polymer to replace the terminal F and OH ions by hydrolysis, thereby imparting proton conductivity and imparting ion exchange properties. For example, when perfluorosulfonyl fluoride is used as the electrolyte polymer in the hydrolysis apparatus 35, the terminal SO ₂ F is converted to SO ₃ H + so as to have ion exchange properties.

  A drying device 36 is installed downstream of the hydrolysis device 35 as a means for drying the ion exchange membrane 6. The drying device 36 blows warm air or the like to vaporize the moisture or the like given by the hydrolysis device 35 and dry it to a predetermined humidity, thereby completing the ion exchange membrane 6. The completed ion exchange membrane 6 is wound and stored on a roll core 41 by a winding device 40 constituting a storage means.

  The manufacturing apparatus 1 configured as described above is controlled by a main controller 50 based on outputs from various sensors and the like, as shown in FIG. The main controller 50 includes a roll speed controller 51, an extruder controller 52, a roll temperature controller 53, a hydrolysis controller 54, and a drying controller 55.

  In order to improve the adhesion on each roll such as the feed roll 11, the porous membrane 2 measures the amount of tension with three tension sensors 60 installed in the middle, and sends the information to the tension converter 61. Based on the output, it is fed back to the roll speed controller 51. By this output, the material roll 3, the first and second feeding rolls 11, 12, the feeding auxiliary roll 13, the film thickness adjusting roll 14, the first The second cooling rolls 32 and 33, the feeding auxiliary roll 34, and the roll core 41 of the winding device 40 are controlled so as to adjust the tension so that the porous film 2 is not loosened. The number of tension sensors is not limited to three, and may be configured to be provided downstream of the cooling means 30 and 31, for example.

  The extruder controller 52 controls the first screw extruder 21, the second screw extruder 22, and the resin molds 23, 24 by controlling the temperature of the molten electrolyte polymer, the extrusion speed, and the tip pressure of the resin molds 23, 24. To do. A pressure sensor (not shown) for measuring the tip pressure of the resin mold is installed near the polymer outlet of the resin mold.

  A film thickness sensor 62 that measures the film thickness of the attached electrolyte polymer is installed downstream of the first feed roll 11. This film thickness sensor measures the film thickness of the porous membrane 2 and the electrolyte polymer on one side. Further, a film thickness sensor 63 for measuring the film thickness of the attached conductive polymer is installed downstream of the second feed roll 12. The thickness sensor 63 measures the thickness of the porous membrane 2 and the electrolyte polymer on both sides, that is, the thickness of the electrolyte membranes 4 and 5. Then, the film thickness after impregnating the polymer from the first screw extruder 21 and the film thickness after impregnating the polymer from the second screw extruder 22 are measured by outputs from the two film thickness sensors. This information is input to the film thickness converter 64 and fed back to the extruder controller 52.

  The temperatures of the first and second feeding rolls 11 and 12, the feeding auxiliary roll 13, the film thickness adjusting roll 14, and the cooling rolls 32 and 33 are controlled by a roll temperature controller 53. That is, the first and second feeding rolls 11 and 12, the feeding auxiliary roll 13, and the film thickness adjusting roll 14 are maintained at a high temperature, and the porous membrane 2 is easily pressure-impregnated with the electrolyte molten polymer. It has become. In addition, the cooling rolls 32 and 33 of the forced cooling unit 31 are kept at a low temperature, and are configured so that the heated porous membrane 2 can be easily cooled. The roll temperature controller 53 measures the temperature of each roll with a sensor (not shown), and feedback-controls the temperature of each roll based on this information.

  The hydrolysis device 35 that imparts ion exchange properties to the porous membrane 2 on which the electrolyte membranes 4 and 5 are formed is controlled by the hydrolysis controller 54, and the temperature and temperature are determined by the feed rate information input from the main controller 50. Time is controlled. Since the porous membrane 2 is immersed in the liquid when the ion exchange property is imparted by the hydrolysis device 35, it is dried to a predetermined humidity by the drying device 36 controlled by the drying controller 55. This drying controller 55 is also controlled in temperature and time by the feed speed information input from the main controller 50.

  The operation of the ion exchange membrane manufacturing apparatus of the present embodiment configured as described above will be described below. The porous membrane 2 is fed in a state in which tension is applied by the wound material roll 3, the first feeding roll 11 and the feeding auxiliary roll 13, the second feeding roll 12 and the film thickness adjusting roll 14. Be paid. In addition, the first and second cooling rolls 32 and 33 and the feeding auxiliary roll 34 are used to provide a cooling process including the natural cooling unit 30 and the forced cooling unit 31, an ion exchange providing process including a hydrolysis device 35, and A drying process part provided with the drying device 36 is fed. For feeding the porous membrane 2, the roll speed controller 51 adjusts the speed of each roll by receiving the output from the tension sensor 60 installed at three places by the tension converter 61.

  The porous membrane 2 fed at a constant speed by the feeding means 10 having the above-described configuration is such that the electrolyte polymer heated and melted by the screw extruders 21 and 22 through the resin molds 23 and 24 in the electrolyte membrane forming step in the middle of feeding. The electrolyte membranes 4 and 5 having a predetermined film thickness are formed on both surfaces by pressure impregnation. In the screw extruders 21 and 22, the temperature of the electrolyte polymer, the extrusion speed, and the tip pressure of the resin molds 23 and 24 are controlled by the extruder controller 52, and the outputs from the film thickness sensors 62 and 63 are input to the film thickness converter 64. Feedback control.

  The electrolyte membranes 4 and 5 thus formed are prevented from being mixed with a solvent and the like so that the porous membrane 2 can be uniformly impregnated with the electrolyte, and the intermolecular bond is strengthened by melting. Since it can be continuously maintained from the inside of the membrane to the electrolyte membrane layer on the surface, it is chemically stable and performance degradation due to swelling or the like can be suppressed. Further, the strength is improved as compared with the porous membrane 2 alone. When forming electrolyte membranes in multiple layers, add a screw extruder.

  In the electrolyte membrane forming step, the porous membrane 2 is heated to about 200 ° C. because it is impregnated with the molten electrolyte polymer, and in the next step, the high temperature porous membrane 2 is cooled. That is, the porous membrane 2 dissipates heat in the natural cooling unit 30 and dissipates heat by heat conduction in the forced cooling unit 31 to be in a low temperature state. The cooling rolls 32 and 33 of the forced cooling unit 31 are controlled in temperature by the roll temperature controller 53 and can be efficiently cooled.

The porous membrane 2 cooled to a predetermined temperature by the natural cooling unit 30 and the forced cooling unit 31 is a step of providing ion exchange properties including a hydrolysis device 35, and ion exchange properties are imparted to the electrolyte membranes 4 and 5. The In the hydrolysis apparatus 35, the time and temperature for introducing the ion exchange group are controlled by the hydrolysis controller 54 based on the feed rate information from the main controller 50, and the above-described —SO ₃ H, —N ⁺ H _{3 is used.} An ion exchange membrane 6 is produced from the porous membrane 2 by introducing ion exchange groups such as, -COOH.

  In the porous membrane 2 on which the electrolyte membranes 4 and 5 are formed, an ion exchange group is introduced in the above-described process to produce an ion exchange membrane 6. The ion exchange membrane 6 contains a large amount of moisture. Therefore, it is controlled by the drying controller 55 in the drying process including the drying device 36 and is dried to a predetermined humidity. In the subsequent storing step, the dried ion exchange membrane 6 is wound and stored by the roll core 41 of the winding device 40. Since the roll core 41 is also controlled by the roll speed controller 51, the roll core 41 can be stored at a constant speed without slackening.

  As described above, the ion exchange membrane manufacturing apparatus 1 of this embodiment does not use an electrolyte polymer dissolved in a solvent, but pressure-impregnates a heated and melted electrolyte polymer to form the electrolyte membranes 4 and 5. The electrolyte membrane can be directly formed on the porous membrane 2 to be obtained, and a solvent layer for dissolving the electrolyte polymer becomes unnecessary, and the configuration of the manufacturing apparatus can be simplified. Moreover, since the tank which puts the solvent for forming an electrolyte membrane is not required, the structure of a manufacturing apparatus can be simplified and an installation area can be made small. Furthermore, the ion exchange apparatus manufacturing apparatus 1 is chemically stable, and the performance of the electrolyte is hardly deteriorated, and an ion exchange membrane excellent in durability can be continuously and efficiently manufactured.

  In addition, the ion exchange membrane 6 manufactured in this way is formed by electrolyte impregnating the porous membrane 2 with the melted electrolyte polymer to form the electrolyte membranes 4 and 5. Compared with the electrolyte membrane formed by casting, the entanglement of the main chain of the electrolyte molecules becomes dense, and the hydrogen permeation amount can be reduced. In terms of the swelling performance, which is one of the methods for checking the durability and chemical stability of the ion exchange membrane, the melt-impregnated membrane of the present embodiment and Gore Select (product name) obtained by casting a PTFE porous material on a base material. ) And Nafion single membranes were compared in terms of swelling properties with solvents and the like, the results shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 were obtained.

  FIG. 3a shows the swellability in the length direction when the horizontal axis is the solvent concentration and the vertical axis is the length change. FIG. 3b shows the swelling property in the thickness direction when the horizontal axis is the solvent concentration and the vertical axis is the thickness change. As can be seen from FIG. 3a, in the longitudinal direction, the melt-impregnated film and Gore Select do not swell and do not swell, but the Nafion single film has a large dimensional change. Further, as can be seen from FIG. 3b, in the thickness direction, the melt-impregnated film and the Nafion single film have a small amount of swelling, but Gore Select greatly changes the amount of swelling. As described above, the melt-containing membrane has significantly improved swelling performance as compared with Gore Select and Nafion single membrane, and can improve the durability and chemical stability of the membrane itself or a fuel cell using this membrane. it can.

  Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention described in the claims. Design changes can be made. For example, although an example in which the electrolyte polymer is supplied to both surfaces of the porous membrane to form the electrolyte membrane has been shown, it is needless to say that the electrolyte polymer may be supplied to only one surface to form the electrolyte membrane on one surface.

  As a means for imparting ion exchange properties, a structure in which an electrolyte polymer is impregnated into a porous membrane to form an electrolyte membrane and an ion exchange group is introduced by a hydrolysis apparatus has been shown, but this electrolyte membrane is immersed in fuming nitric acid. The ion exchange group may be introduced by other methods such as sulfonation of the —CH group. Moreover, although the film | membrane of the structure which consists of one layer was used for the porous body film | membrane, you may use the film | membrane made into not only one layer but multiple layers.

  As an example of storing the completed ion exchange membrane, an example in which the ion exchange membrane is wound by a take-up roll has been shown. However, the ion exchange membrane may be folded and stored to a predetermined length. Further, the storage means may be configured such that the produced ion exchange membrane is cut to a predetermined length and the cut membrane bodies are stacked.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The whole block diagram which shows one Embodiment of the manufacturing apparatus of the ion exchange membrane which concerns on this invention. The whole block diagram which added the control system to the manufacturing apparatus of FIG. The characteristic of the ion exchange membrane manufactured by this invention is shown, (a) is a graph which shows the length change with respect to a solvent concentration, (b) is a graph which shows the thickness change with respect to a solvent concentration.

Explanation of symbols

  1: ion exchange membrane production apparatus, 2: porous membrane, 3: material roll, 4, 5: electrolyte membrane, 6: ion exchange membrane, 10: feeding means, 11, 12: feeding roll, 13: feeding Feeding auxiliary roll, 14: film thickness adjusting roll, 20: electrolyte membrane forming means, 21: first screw extruder, 22: second screw extruder, 23, 24: resin mold, 30: natural cooling section (cooling means) , 31: Forced cooling section (cooling means), 32, 33: Cooling roll, 34: Feeding auxiliary roll, 35: Hydrolysis device (ion exchangeability imparting means), 36: Drying device (drying means), 40: Winding Removal device (storage means)

Claims (4)

Means for continuously feeding the porous membrane from the material roll wound with the porous membrane, and means for forming an electrolyte membrane by pressure-impregnating molten electrolyte polymer into the porous membrane to be fed A means for imparting ion exchange properties to the electrolyte polymer in the electrolyte membrane, and means for accommodating the ion exchange membrane imparted with ion exchange properties, and the means for forming the electrolyte membrane is a heat-insulating type. An apparatus for producing an ion exchange membrane, comprising: a screw extruder; and a heat-retaining supply roll positioned with a porous membrane fed to the resin extrusion side of the screw extruder interposed therebetween .   The apparatus for producing an ion exchange membrane according to claim 1, further comprising means for cooling the porous membrane on which the electrolyte membrane is formed. A step of continuously feeding the porous membrane from a material roll wound with the porous membrane, and a step of pressurizing and impregnating a molten electrolyte polymer into the porous membrane to be fed to form the electrolyte membrane. At least a step of imparting ion exchange properties to the electrolyte polymer in the electrolyte membrane and a step of storing the ion exchange membrane imparted with ion exchange properties, and the step of forming the electrolyte membrane is heated and melted. A method for producing an ion exchange membrane, which is carried out by pressure impregnating a porous membrane to be fed with a heated electrolyte polymer . The method for producing an ion exchange membrane according to claim 3 , further comprising a step of cooling the porous membrane on which the electrolyte membrane is formed as a subsequent step of the step of forming the electrolyte membrane.

Images