High utilization supported catalytic metal-containing gas-diffusion electrode, process for making it, and cells utilizing it
US5084144A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 31, 1990 |
| Grant date | Jan 28, 1992 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 31, 2010 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S205/917
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Gas-diffusion electrodes (GDE's) suitable for use with a solid polymer electrolyte (s.p.e.), particularly in s.p.e. fuel cells, which GDE's provide unusually highly efficient use of noble or precious electrocatalytic metals, are obtained by starting with a GDE which is essentially fully fabricated except for electrocatalytic metal treatment and s.p.e. treatment, e.g. a carbon GDE having a gas-permeable hydrophobic face and a particulate carbon-containing catalytic face. This untreated GDE is treated by PA0 a. impregnating an s.p.e. solutuion into the catalytic face until the solution penetrates part way into the cross-section of the GDE, especially into the carbon particulate or other support material, but not as far as the hydrophobic, gas permeable face, PA0 b. inserting the thus-treated GDE and a counterelectrode into a plating bath containing, for example, M.sup.+, M.sup.++, and/or M.sup.+++ ions, where M is a metal of Group VIII or I-B of the Periodic Table, and PA0 c. applying an interrupted current (periodically interrupted or a single, long pulse <2 minutes in duration) to the thus-treated GDE, so that metal particles<10 nm (<100A) in average particle size deposit on the pa…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.