Electrochemische Energieconversie, N.v.

Studiecentrum Voor Kernenergie, S.c.k.

Gustaaf J Spaepen

Alain P Blanchart

Constantine W De Brandt

Philippe Vermeiren

Jan-Baptist Hugo Vandenborre

Roger F Leysen

Leon H Baetsle

Gilbert J Van Bogaert

The invention relates to a process for the production of a layer of an electrode for a cell, particularly for a fuel cell, starting from an electrically conductive fine-grained powder and a powdery binder, according to which the powder and the binder are mixed in dry condition and the mixture is rolled to form a layer, characterized in that the dry mixture is subjected to an agglomeration step, the agglomerates obtained are broken and pressed together to form a whole and the pressed whole is rolled, in various steps, to form a layer. The process also relates to the production of an electrode containing such a layer.

Process for the production of a layer of an electrode for a cell,

The invention relates to a porous electrode comprising at least a porous catalytic layer containing a catalytically active noble-metal, carbon and a polymeric binder and a porous metallic collector is situated on the electrolyte-side of this layer. According to the invention the catalytic layer has a thickness of less than 80 .mu.m and are the noble-metal particles in the layer situated on the surface and/or in the pores of part of the carbon particles, while the rest of the carbon particles contains no noble-metal particles. The invention meets the need of an electrode of the type described with a much lower noble-metal content, while the excellent characteristics as regards efficiency, power density and simplicity of manufacture are retained.

Porous electrode

The method comprises the steps of preparing a solution of a binder in a solvent, wetting and grinding polyantimonic powder, forming a suspension with the wetted and ground powder and the solvent, mixing the suspension with the solution, pouring on a plate the so obtained viscous liquid, allowing the solvent to evaporate until a membrane in formation begins to dry, removing further the solvent by lixiviation, and removing the membrane from the plate.

Method of preparing a membrane consisting of polyantimonic acid powder

The invention relates to an electrochemical zinc-oxygen cell comprising an oxygen electrode containing a porous electrically conductive layer, a zinc electrode, a diffusion of zincate restricting membrane, preferably an ionexchanging membrane, which is joined directly to the oxygen electrode between the porous layer of this electrode and the zinc electrode, and an electrolyte space between the membrane and the zinc electrode containing a liquid basic electrolyte. By preference the membrane is only slightly permeable for the electrolyte. With this cell no poisoning of the electrochemically active material occurs.

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Dessel, Belgium

Gustaaf J Spaepen