Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

The Boc Group, Inc.

Craig S Gittleman

Timothy J Fuller

Frank R Fitch

Adeola Florence Ojo

Sean M MacKinnon

Ruichun Jiang

William Henry Pettit

Michael R Schoeneweiss

Gerald E Voecks

John B Ruhl

Yeh-Hung Lai

Ramesh Gupta

Ravi Kumar

Frank D Coms

Michael K Budinski

Yan Zhang

Daniel P Miller

Martin Bulow

Annette Brenner

Martin B&uuml;low

Matthew Dioguardi

Shuguang Deng

John P Salvador

Paul Taichiang Yu

Scott Lawrence Peters

Scott C Moose

Bradley M Houghtaling

Kiran Mallavarapu

Brian A Litteer

John P Healy

Sudhakar R Jale

Philip Connolly

Christopher L Lewis

Vijay Ramanand Balse

Michael T Flanagan

A system for minimizing iron infusion in a fuel cell includes a catalyst coated on proton exchange membrane (CCM) having a plurality of side edge portions. The CCM includes a membrane having a first planar side and a second planar side, an anode on the first planar side of the membrane, and a cathode on the second planar side of the membrane. The system further includes an anode gas diffusion layer (GDL) including a first micro-porous layer. The first micro-porous layer is in contact with the anode. The system further includes a cathode GDL including a second micro-porous layer. The second micro-porous layer is in contact with the cathode. The system further includes an adhesive in contact with the plurality of side edge portions of the CCM. The first micro-porous layer, the second micro-porous layer, and the adhesive collectively encapsulate the CCM and minimize iron infusing into the membrane.

System and method for preventing iron from infusing into a proton exchange membrane in a fuel cell

Disclosed are methods for fabricating a reinforced membrane electrode assembly having one or more freestanding external reinforcement layers. The method comprises providing a freestanding external reinforcement layer, and depositing a catalyst solution and membrane solution onto at least a portion of the freestanding external reinforcement layer.

Direct coated membrane electrode assembly on external reinforcement for fuel cells

A fuel cell includes an ion conducting membrane having a first side and a second side. Characteristically, the ion conducting membrane has a sufficient amount of a stabilization agent and platinum to inhibit the loss of fluoride from the ion conducting membrane when compared to an ion conducting membrane having the same construction except for the presence of cerium ions.

Chemical durability using synergystic mitigation strategies

A fuel cell or a fuel cell stack component comprises an active area and a non-active area. A peroxide decomposing metal compound or metal alloy is disposed in or on the non-active area of a fuel cell or a fuel cell component. The metal compound or alloy is capable of providing a peroxide decomposing metal species that can migrate from the non-active area to an active area of a fuel cell. A fuel cell or membrane electrode assembly having a peroxide decomposing metal compound or alloy disposed in its non-active area exhibits improved durability.

Fuel cells having improved durability

Methods of making reinforced membrane electrode assemblies are described. Catalyst coated free standing microporous layers and reinforced membrane electrode assemblies are also described.

Direct catalyst coating on free standing microporous layer

A method of purging residual hydrogen from a fuel cell stack is disclosed. The method includes providing an air stream, providing a temporary nitrogen stream by removing oxygen from the air stream with an adsorbent bed and passing the nitrogen stream through the fuel cell stack.

Stack shutdown purge method

One aspect of the invention includes the discovery that pinholes in the membrane of the membrane electrode assembly may be caused by hygroexpansive ratcheting. In one embodiment of the invention, a fuel cell stack including a plurality of cells each having a membrane electrode assembly each including a membrane manufactured by an extrusion method and operated so that the rate of drying during humidity cycling is sufficiently low to reduce or eliminate build up stresses in the membrane electrode assembly.

Method of operating a fuel cell stack

A unitized electrode assembly for a fuel cell comprising an electrolyte membrane, a subgasket, and a sealing bead disposed therebetween is disclosed. The sealing bead adapted to fill a tenting region formed between the membrane and the subgasket to maximize an operating life of the electrolyte membrane by militating against wear of membrane expansion during use of the fuel cell.

Using ionomer to militate against membrane buckling in the tenting region

An ion conducting polymeric structure suitable for fuel cell applications is provided. The polymeric structure comprises a non-homogenous polymeric layer. The non-homogeneous layer is a blend of a first polymer comprising cyclobutyl moiety; and a second polymer having a non-ionic polymer segment. The weight ratio of the first polymer to the second polymer varies as a function of position within the non-homogenous layer. The blend composition may be cast into an electrolyte membrane that can be used to prepare electrochemical cells such as batteries and fuel cells.

Gradient reinforced proton exchange membrane

A polymer blend useful as an ion conductor in fuel cells includes a first polymer having a cyclobutyl moiety and a second polymer include a sulfonic acid group.

Polyelectrolyte membranes comprised of blends of PFSA and sulfonated PFCB polymers

A polymer blend useful as an ion conductor in fuel cells includes a first polymer that includes a non-ionic segment and a second polymer that includes a sulfonic acid group.

Blends of low equivalent molecular weight PFSA ionomers with Kynar 2751

The present invention is directed to addressing performance issues attributable to membrane electrode assemblies, and the components thereof, in electrochemical conversion cells. In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a device comprising at least one electrochemical conversion cell is provided. The cell is configured to convert first and second reactants to electrical energy and comprises a membrane electrode assembly and at least one membrane reinforcement layer. The combination of elastic modulus and thickness of the reinforcement layer and the bond between the reinforcement layer and the membrane electrode assembly are sufficient to enhance the structural integrity of the membrane electrode assembly beyond the operational degradation threshold of the assembly.

Reinforced membrane electrode assembly

An apparatus removes carbon monoxide (CO) from a hydrogen-rich gas stream in a hydrogen fuel cell system. CO fouls costly catalytic particles in the membrane electrode assemblies of proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells. A vessel houses a carbon monoxide adsorbent. The vessel may be a rotating pressure swing adsorber. A water gas shift reactor is upstream of the rotating pressure swing adsorber. The water gas shift reactor may include a second adsorbent adapted to adsorb carbon monoxide at low temperatures and to desorb carbon monoxide at high temperatures. The apparatus advantageously eliminates the use of a preferential oxidation (PROX) reactor, by providing an apparatus which incorporates CO adsorption in the place of the PROX reactor. This cleans up carbon monoxide without hydrogen consumption and the concomitant, undesirable excess low grade heat generation. The present invention reduces start-up duration, and improves overall fuel processor efficiency during normal operation.

Carbon monoxide adsorption for carbon monoxide clean-up in a fuel cell system

A fuel processor system is provided including an autothermal reactor (ATR), a pressure swing adsorber (PSA) located downstream of the ATR, and a methanation reactor located downstream of the PSA. A method of operating of proton exchange membrane fuel cell stack involves cooling the methanator output and feeding it into the stack as an anode fuel.

Carbon monoxide clean-up in a PEM fuel cell system

An apparatus removes CO from a hydrogen-rich gas stream in a hydrogen fuel cell system. CO fouls costly catalytic particles in the membrane electrode assemblies. Both a catalyst adapted to perform a water gas shift reaction, and a carbon dioxide adsorbent are disposed in a rotating pressure swing adsorber housing. The adsorption of carbon dioxide shifts equilibrium toward carbon monoxide consumption. A second adsorbent may be disposed in the housing for adsorbing carbon monoxide at low temperatures, and is adapted to desorb carbon monoxide at high temperatures. The present invention advantageously eliminates a unit operation from a space-constrained fuel cell vehicle by combining the WGS catalyst and a COadsorbent in a single reactor/housing. The apparatus further eliminates the use of a PROX reactor, by providing an apparatus which incorporates COadsorption and consequent carbon monoxide consumption in the place of the PROX reactor.

Growing community of inventors

Brighton, NY, United States of America

Craig S Gittleman