Catalyst layer with extended surface area and method of forming such catalyst layer for polymer electrolyte fuel cells

US12170379B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignees

• The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University · US
• VOLKSWAGEN AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT · DE

Inventors

• Shicheng Xu · Stanford, US
• Friedrich B. Prinz · Stanford, US
• Thomas Schladt · Eitensheim, DE
• Tanja Graf · Braunschweig, DE
• Jonathan Edward Mueller · Wolfsburg, DE
• Sebastian Kirsch · Gifhorn, DE
• Gerold Huebner · Wolfsburg, DE
• Vedran Glavas · Wolfsburg, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Nov 25, 2019
• Grant date: Dec 17, 2024
• Expiry date: Oct 13, 2041

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y02E60/50
• WIPO field: Electrical machinery, apparatus, energy
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

A manufacturing process includes: depositing a catalyst support on a gas diffusion layer to form a catalyst support-coated gas diffusion layer; depositing a catalyst on the catalyst support-coated gas diffusion layer to form a catalyst-coated gas diffusion layer; and depositing an ionomer on the catalyst-coated gas diffusion layer to form an ionomer-coated gas diffusion layer. A membrane electrode assembly for a fuel cell includes: a gas diffusion layer; a polymer electrolyte membrane; and a catalyst layer disposed between the gas diffusion layer and the polymer electrolyte membrane, wherein the catalyst layer includes an ionomer, and a concentration of the ionomer varies within the catalyst layer according to a concentration profile.