Tokuyama Corporation

Hitoshi Matsuoka

Kenji Fukuta

Manabu Kaminaka

Motomu Takamura

The present invention aims at providing an optimal constitution and production method for an OH-type anion-exchange hydrocarbon-based elastomer used when manufacturing a catalyst electrode layer of a solid polymer type fuel cell, in view of a balance of stability, durability and flexibility. Also, the present invention aims to provide an ion-conductivity imparting agent comprising the OH-type anion-exchange hydrocarbon-based elastomer, wherein the elastomer is uniformly dissolved or dispersed and has appropriate viscosity even with a high concentration. The anion-exchange hydrocarbon-based elastomer of the present invention has an iodine value of 3 to 25, contains an anion-exchange group having OH, COand/or HCOas a counterion in its molecule and is poorly-soluble in water. The hydrocarbon-based elastomer can preferably be used as an ion-conductivity imparting agent for forming a catalyst electrode layer by mixing an organic solvent.

OH-type anion-exchange hydrocarbon-based elastomer, use and production method thereof

An object of the present invention is to provide an electrolyte membrane-electrode membrane assembly for a solid polymer fuel cell having superior characteristics, wherein a gas diffusion electrode membrane and a solid electrolyte membrane are well bonded, and electrode catalysts are uniformly-dispersed to obtain high electrode activity, a production method thereof and a fuel cell equipped therewith. The electrolyte membrane-electrode membrane assembly of the present invention is produced by jointing a molded membrane for forming a gas diffusion electrode membrane formed by a paste composition including a polymeric organic compound having a quaternary base forming functional group and an electrode catalyst, with a quaternary base anion-exchange resin precursor membrane for forming a solid electrolyte membrane having a quaternary base forming functional group; forming of a quaternary base anion-exchange group by bonding a polyfunctional quaternarizing agent to the quaternary base forming functional group included in each of said molded membrane and said precursor membrane via each functional group of the polyfunctional quaternarizing agent which is present around the bonded interface of both membranes to thereby crosslink the formed anion-exchange resins in both membranes via the polyfunctional quaternarizing agent simultaneously; and subjecting the non-quaternarized residue of the quaternary base forming functional groups in thus-obtained assembly to a quaternary base forming treatment. A fuel cell comprising thus-produced electrolyte membrane-electrode membrane assembly is excellent in bonding property, durability and output voltage.

Electrolyte membrane-electrode membrane assembly for solid polymer fuel cell and production method thereof, and fuel cell equipped therewith

There is provided an ion exchange membrane and preparation process thereof. The membrane has a porous film layer having pores with an average pore diameter of 0.01 to 2 &#x3bc;m and a surface layer existent on at least one side of the porous film. The pores of the porous film layer are filled with an ion exchange resin and the surface layer contains (a) an inorganic filler having an average primary particle longest diameter which is 0.1 time or more the average pore diameter of the pores of the porous film layer and 50 &#x3bc;m or less and (b) an ion exchange resin. The membrane is useful for a diaphragm of a direct methanol type fuel cell.

Ion exchange membrane and production process therefor

A propylene resin composition featuring good flexibility and transparency without producing sticky feeling, and comprising a polypropylene component and a copolymer component of propylene and ethylene, wherein (I) the amount of the component (hereinafter referred to as medium- to low-temperature eluting component) that elutes out at temperatures of up to 90&deg; C. by the temperature rising elution fractionation method by using an o-dichlorobenzene solvent is from 50 to 99% by weight of the whole amount, the amount of the component (hereinafter referred to as high-temperature eluting component) that elutes out at temperatures of not lower than 90&deg; C. is from 50 to 1% by weight of the whole amount, and the amount of the component (hereinafter referred to as low-temperature eluting component) eluting out up to a temperature of 0&deg; C. is not larger than 10% by weight of the whole amount, and (II) the content of the ethylene units in the component eluting up to the temperature of 90&deg; C. is not smaller than 4% by weight but is smaller than 20% by weight, and the content of the propylene units in the component eluting at temperatures of not lower than 90&deg; C. is from 97 to 100% by weight.

Growing community of inventors

Yamaguchi, Japan

Hitoshi Matsuoka