Patent · US Expired

Method for manufacturing solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell

US5723173A · kind A · utility

24Cited by
3References
37Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJan 23, 1996
Grant dateMar 3, 1998
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 23, 2016

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10T29/49115
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

The invention provides a method for manufacturing a solid polymer electrolyte electrolyte fuel cell which exhibits higher performances by sufficiently and uniformly contacting the solid polymer electrolyte with a catalyst to increase the reaction area inside the electrode. The method comprises the steps of dispersing a carbon powder supporting a noble metal catalyst in an organic solvent to obtain a dispersion, mixing the resulting dispersion with an alcoholic solution of a solid polymer electrolyte to produce a colloid of the solid polymer electrolyte and simultaneously to obtain a mixed solution in which said colloid is adsorbed to the carbon powder, applying the mixed solution on one side of a gas-diffusion layer to produce an electrode, and pressing the resulting electrode on at least one side of a solid polymer electrolyte membrane to integrate them. Furthermore, a fluorocarbon polymer can be added, to thereby form a gas channel without excessive covering of the catalyst and increase gas permeability of the electrode. Thus, a solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell which exhibits high performances in a high current density area can be further provided.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.