Patent · US Active

Polymer electrolyte membrane, membrane-electrode assembly and polymer electrolyte fuel cell

US8349513B2 · kind B2 · utility

0Cited by
5References
16Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 5, 2007
Grant dateJan 8, 2013
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 15, 2030

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY02E60/50
  • WIPO fieldMacromolecular chemistry, polymers
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

A polymer electrolyte membrane comprising as a main ingredient a block copolymer which comprises, as its constituents, a polymer block (A) having as a main unit an aromatic vinyl compound unit and a polymer block (B) forming a flexible phase, and has ion-conducting groups on the polymer block (A), said aromatic vinyl compound unit being such that the hydrogen atom bonded to the α-carbon atom is non-replaced or replaced with an alkyl group or an aryl group optionally having substituent(s), and at least one of hydrogen atoms directly bonded to the aromatic ring is replaced with an alkyl group; and a membrane electrode assembly and a polymer electrolyte fuel cell both of which uses it. The polymer block (A) can have a restraining phase, and/or can be cross-linked. The electrolyte membrane is mild to the environment, has a high ion conductivity and good bonding properties to electrodes, is excellent in moldability, and is not easily influenced by methanol; and displays excellent performance in polymer electrolyte fuel cells, particularly direct methanol fuel cells.

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