WO2013103338A1 - Couche microporeuse renforcée - Google Patents

Couche microporeuse renforcée Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2013103338A1
WO2013103338A1 PCT/US2012/020168 US2012020168W WO2013103338A1 WO 2013103338 A1 WO2013103338 A1 WO 2013103338A1 US 2012020168 W US2012020168 W US 2012020168W WO 2013103338 A1 WO2013103338 A1 WO 2013103338A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
fuel cell
layer
microporous layer
membrane
cell assembly
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/US2012/020168
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Robert Mason Darling
Original Assignee
Utc Power Corporation
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Utc Power Corporation filed Critical Utc Power Corporation
Priority to PCT/US2012/020168 priority Critical patent/WO2013103338A1/fr
Publication of WO2013103338A1 publication Critical patent/WO2013103338A1/fr

Links

Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
    • H01M8/00—Fuel cells; Manufacture thereof
    • H01M8/02—Details
    • H01M8/0202—Collectors; Separators, e.g. bipolar separators; Interconnectors
    • H01M8/023—Porous and characterised by the material
    • H01M8/0234—Carbonaceous material
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
    • H01M8/00—Fuel cells; Manufacture thereof
    • H01M8/02—Details
    • H01M8/0202—Collectors; Separators, e.g. bipolar separators; Interconnectors
    • H01M8/023—Porous and characterised by the material
    • H01M8/0241—Composites
    • H01M8/0243—Composites in the form of mixtures
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
    • H01M8/00—Fuel cells; Manufacture thereof
    • H01M8/10—Fuel cells with solid electrolytes
    • H01M8/1004—Fuel cells with solid electrolytes characterised by membrane-electrode assemblies [MEA]
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
    • H01M8/00—Fuel cells; Manufacture thereof
    • H01M8/10—Fuel cells with solid electrolytes
    • H01M2008/1095—Fuel cells with polymeric electrolytes
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
    • Y02E60/00—Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
    • Y02E60/30—Hydrogen technology
    • Y02E60/50—Fuel cells

Definitions

  • Typical fuel cell arrangements include multiple fuel cells placed together in a cell stack assembly (CSA).
  • CSA cell stack assembly
  • Each fuel cell generally includes an anode, a cathode, and a membrane between the anode and the cathode.
  • a cathode reactant, such as oxygen, and an anode reactant, such as hydrogen, are used in an electro-chemical reaction at the membrane to produce electrical energy.
  • the membrane may sustain damage or wear, which can affect fuel cell efficiency or operation.
  • One possible cause of the membrane damage is that fibers in adjacent layers of the fuel cell, such as a gas diffusion layer, may poke through the membrane.
  • An exemplary fuel cell component includes porous carbon paper having a microporous layer with ionomer covered carbon particles in a polytetrafluoroethylene matrix.
  • An exemplary fuel cell assembly includes a first electrode layer, a second electrode layer, and a membrane between the electrodes layers.
  • a microporous layer is associated with at least one of the electrode layers and is located on an opposite side of the electrode layer from the membrane.
  • the microporous layer includes ionomer covered carbon particles in a polytetrafluoroethylene matrix.
  • Figure 1 schematically illustrates selected portions of an example fuel cell assembly.
  • Figure 1 illustrates selected portions of an example fuel cell 10.
  • the illustrated portions include a cathode 12, an anode 14, and a membrane 16, such as a proton exchange membrane (PEM), between the cathode 12 and the anode 14.
  • a membrane 16 such as a proton exchange membrane (PEM)
  • the cathode 12 includes a gas diffusion layer 18, which comprises carbon paper in one example.
  • the cathode 12 also includes a microporous layer 20 and a catalyst layer 22.
  • the catalyst layer 22 comprises a catalyst material on carbon particles in an ionomer matrix.
  • the catalyst layer 22 is located adjacent to the membrane 16 and the microporous layer 20.
  • the gas diffusion layer 18 is on an opposite side of the microporous layer 20 from the catalyst layer 22. In other words, the microporous layer 20 is between the gas diffusion layer 18 and the catalyst layer 22.
  • the microporous layer 20 in this example comprises ionomer covered carbon particles in an expanded polytetrafluoroethylene matrix affixed to one side of the carbon paper of the gas diffusion layer 18.
  • the layer is at least partially hydrophilic due to the combination of hydrophilic and hydrophobic components.
  • the ionomer covered carbon particles in the expanded polytetrafluoroethylene matrix provide a barrier against fibers from the gas diffusion layer 18, from poking through the catalyst layer 22 toward the membrane 16.
  • the thickness of the expanded polytetrafluoroethylene matrix is chosen to be greater than the height of the largest expected protrusion from the surface of the carbon paper.
  • the expected height is determined in one example based on a statistically relevant sampling.
  • the diameter of the pores in the expanded polytetrafluoroethylene matrix is smaller than the typical fiber diameter (e.g., about 5 ⁇ ).
  • the anode 14 includes a gas diffusion layer 24, which comprises carbon paper in one example, a microporous layer 26, and a catalyst layer 28.
  • the catalyst layer 28 includes a catalyst material on carbon particles coated with ionomer.
  • the catalyst layer 28 is located adjacent the membrane 16.
  • the microporous layer 26 is on an opposite side of the catalyst layer 28 from the membrane 16 between the catalyst layer 28 and the gas diffusion layer 24.
  • the microporous layer 26 in this example comprises ionomer covered carbon particles in a polytetrafluoroethylene matrix.
  • the combination of polytetrafluoroethylene and ionomer covered carbon comprises an expanded polytetrafluoroethylene matrix that is at least partially hydrophilic.
  • the at least partially hydrophilic properties of the microporous layer 26 minimize dehydration of the membrane 16 by attracting water, such as water from a water transport plate (not illustrated) on an opposite side of the gas diffusion layer 24.
  • the ionomer covered carbon particles in the polytetrafluoroethylene matrix provide a barrier against fibers from other layers of the fuel cell 10, such as the gas diffusion layer 24, from poking through the membrane 16.
  • the microporous layer 20 having ionomer covered carbon particles in the expanded polytetrafluoroethylene matrix may be used in connection with a pure oxygen feed to the cathode 12, while a microporous layer 20 without expanded polytetrafluoroethylene matrix maybe be used when the cathode 12 is not fed by a pure oxygen feed. For that reason, the following claims should be studied to determine the scope of legal protection provided to this invention.

Landscapes

  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
  • Sustainable Development (AREA)
  • Sustainable Energy (AREA)
  • Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
  • Electrochemistry (AREA)
  • General Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Composite Materials (AREA)
  • Inert Electrodes (AREA)

Abstract

L'invention concerne un composant de pile à combustible cité à titre d'exemple qui comprend une couche microporeuse comprenant des particules de carbone recouvertes d'ionomère dans une matrice de polytétrafluoroéthylène. Un ensemble pile à combustible cité à titre d'exemple comprend une première couche d'électrode, une seconde couche d'électrode et une membrane située entre les couches d'électrodes. Une couche microporeuse est associée à au moins une des couches d'électrode et est située sur un côté opposé de la couche d'électrode depuis la membrane. La couche microporeuse comprend des particules de carbone recouvertes d'ionomère dans une matrice de polytétrafluoroéthylène.
PCT/US2012/020168 2012-01-04 2012-01-04 Couche microporeuse renforcée WO2013103338A1 (fr)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
PCT/US2012/020168 WO2013103338A1 (fr) 2012-01-04 2012-01-04 Couche microporeuse renforcée

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
PCT/US2012/020168 WO2013103338A1 (fr) 2012-01-04 2012-01-04 Couche microporeuse renforcée

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2013103338A1 true WO2013103338A1 (fr) 2013-07-11

Family

ID=48745331

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/US2012/020168 WO2013103338A1 (fr) 2012-01-04 2012-01-04 Couche microporeuse renforcée

Country Status (1)

Country Link
WO (1) WO2013103338A1 (fr)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US9461311B2 (en) 2013-03-15 2016-10-04 Ford Global Technologies, Llc Microporous layer for a fuel cell

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20030157397A1 (en) * 2001-12-27 2003-08-21 Kelly Barton Gas diffusion backing for fuel cells
US20080299430A1 (en) * 2004-06-21 2008-12-04 Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. Gas Diffusion Electrode and Solid Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cell
US20100291467A1 (en) * 2009-05-14 2010-11-18 Gm Global Technology Operations, Inc. Fabrication of catalyst coated diffusion media layers containing nanostructured thin catalytic layers

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20030157397A1 (en) * 2001-12-27 2003-08-21 Kelly Barton Gas diffusion backing for fuel cells
US20080299430A1 (en) * 2004-06-21 2008-12-04 Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. Gas Diffusion Electrode and Solid Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cell
US20100291467A1 (en) * 2009-05-14 2010-11-18 Gm Global Technology Operations, Inc. Fabrication of catalyst coated diffusion media layers containing nanostructured thin catalytic layers

Non-Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
AHN, MINJEH ET AL.: "Influence of hydrophilicity in micro-porous layer for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells", ELECTROCHIMICA ACTA, vol. 56, 28 November 2010 (2010-11-28), pages 2450 - 2457, XP028133083 *
MAO, QING ET AL.: "Application of hyperdispersant to the cathode diffusion layer for direct methanol fuel cell", JOURNAL OF POWER SOURCES, vol. 175, 10 October 2007 (2007-10-10), pages 826 - 832, XP022378958 *

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US9461311B2 (en) 2013-03-15 2016-10-04 Ford Global Technologies, Llc Microporous layer for a fuel cell

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