Protective and precipitation layers for PEM fuel cell

US9997794B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• AUDI AG · DE

Inventors

• Sergei F. Burlatsky · Town of West Hartford, US
• Ned E. Cipollini · Enfield, US
• David A. Condit · Avon, US
• Thomas H. Madden · Glastonbury, US
• Sathya Motupally · Stamford, US
• Lesia V. Protsailo · Bolton, US
• Timothy W. Patterson · Town of West Hartford, US
• Lei Chen · South Windsor, US
• Mallika Gummalla · Longmeadow, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Apr 1, 2015
• Grant date: Jun 12, 2018
• Expiry date: Mar 1, 2036

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y02T90/40
• WIPO field: Electrical machinery, apparatus, energy
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

A membrane electrode assembly is provided which includes an anode; a cathode; a membrane between the anode and the cathode; and a protective layer between the membrane and at least one electrode of the anode and the cathode, the protective layer having a layer of ionomer material containing a catalyst, the layer having a porosity of between 0 and 10%, an ionomer content of between 50 and 80% vol., a catalyst content of between 10 and 50% vol., and an electrical connectivity between catalyst particles of between 35 and 75%. A configuration using a precipitation layer to prevent migration of catalyst ions is also provided.