Commissariat &#xc0; L'&#xc9;nergie Atomique Et Aux &#xc9;nergies Alternatives

Benoît Barthe

Rémi Vincent

Alejandro Franco

Denis Tremblay

Olivier Lemaire

Nicolas Bardi

Jérémie Salomon

Rèmi Vincent

A method of manufacturing a cell unit of a fuel cell, including: a) forming an assembly including an electrolyte membrane, an anode catalyst layer coated with a gas diffusion electrode on the side of a surface of the membrane, a cathode catalyst layer coated with a second gas diffusion electrode on the side of the other surface of the membrane, a first reinforcement frame at least partly extending between the membrane and the first electrode, and a second reinforcement frame at least partly extending between the membrane and the second electrode; b) fastening the first and second frames on either side of the membrane; and c) performing a local welding of at least one of the first and second frames to the membrane.

Method of manufacturing a cell unit of a fuel cell

A fuel cell stack includes first and second membrane electrode assemblies and a metal bipolar plate interposed between the first and second membrane electrode assemblies. The bipolar plate comprises first and second metal sheets facing the first and second membrane electrode assemblies and is securely fastened by welds. There is a gas diffusion layer interposed and compressed between the first membrane electrode assembly and the bipolar plate. In the absence of compression on the gas diffusion layer, regions of the gas diffusion layer surrounding the welds have a thickness smaller by at least 5 &#x3bc;m relative to the average thickness of the gas diffusion layer. This is done so that the contact pressure of the gas diffusion layer with the bipolar plate in the area of the welds is lower than its average contact pressure with the bipolar plate.

Fuel cell limiting the phenomenon of corrosion

A method for manufacturing a membrane/electrode assembly, including depositing an electrocatalyst ink on one face of a support so as to form an electrode on the support and fixedly attaching the support and the electrode formed on a proton-exchange membrane by adhesion. The method also includes withdrawing a part of the support so as to uncover at least one median part of the formed electrode.

Method for manufacturing an electrode/proton-exchange membrane assembly

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Chindrieux, France

Benoît Barthe