Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

Samsung Sdi Co., Inc.

Kunihiro Nakato

Atsuo Sonai

Akira Hamada

Yasuo Miyake

Minoru Kaneko

Takashi Yasuo

Yasunori Yoshimoto

Nobuyoshi Nishizawa

Takahiro Isono

Osamu Tajima

Masaru Tsutsumi

Hirokazu Izaki

Keigo Miyai

Kiyoshi Hori

Shuuichi Suzuki

Junji Tanaka, Deceased

Tomotoshi Ikenaga

A solid polymer fuel cell stack has a layered product comprised of a plurality of cells stacked, and is so structured that the layered product is fastened by end plates on both sides thereof via a current collector and an insulating plate on each side. Each cell is structured such that an MEA is sandwiched between an anode-side plate, which is provided with a fuel path disposed counter to an anode of the MEA, and a cathode-side plate, which is provided with an oxidizing agent path disposed counter to a cathode of the MEA. An MEA is comprised of a solid polymer electrolyte membrane, an anode and a cathode. The solid polymer electrolyte membrane is composed of powder of basic polymer such as polybenzimidazole, strong acid such as phosphoric acid impregnated with the basic polymer, and binder such as fluorocarbon resin.

Electrolyte for fuel cell, membrane electrode assembly, fuel cell stack and fuel cell system

A membrane electrode assembly (MEA) is structured such that an anode is joined, via a carbon layer, to one surface of a solid polymer electrolyte membrane containing PBI and phosphoric acid and a cathode is joined to the other surface. The carbon layer is constituted by carbon powder and a first binder. Carbon black, carbon nanotube and the like may be used as carbon powder. The thickness of the carbon layer is preferably greater than that of the solid polymer electrolyte membrane.

Membrane electrode assembly, fuel cell stack and fuel cell system

A fuel cell electrolyte according to one aspect of the invention contains a basic polymer and a phosphate compound expressed by the following general formula (1): where R represents an alkyl or alkoxyalkyl group, and n is 1 or 2.

Fuel cell electrolyte, membrane electrode assembly, and method of manufacturing fuel cell electrolyte

Dimensional change occurring in a fuel cell electrolyte including a basic polymer after the electrolyte is doped with acid is regulated and the occurrence of wrinkles and the like is reduced. A fuel cell electrolyte comprises a basic polymer and an organic phosphonic acid expressed by the following general formula (1): where R represents an alkyl, aryl, acyl, amino, phosphonic group or a derivative of the functional group, and n is 1 or 2.

A fuel cell electrolyte comprises: a basic polymer; an organic phosphonic acid expressed by the following general formula (1); and a hydrolyzable phosphate compound expressed by the following general formula (2): where R represents an alkyl, aryl, acyl, amino, phosphonic group or a derivative of the functional group, and n is 1 or 2, and R represents an alkyl or alkoxyalkyl group, and n is 1 or 2.

A fuel cell comprises a cathode (electrode catalyst layer), an anode (electrode catalyst layer), and a gas diffusion layer provided at least on one of the cathode and anode between a collector and the electrode catalyst layer and containing carbon having an oil absorption larger than that of a catalyst-supporting carbon used in the electrode catalyst layers. As a result, the dropping of the cell voltage due to external factor is suppressed, even if the cell temperature is low (room temperature to 50&#xb0; C.). The water-absorption pressure of the water passage in the gas diffusion layer is higher than those of the electrode catalyst layers. The produced water and moving water in the cathode is absorbed into the water passage in the gas diffusion layer exhausted to the collector side. When a cell temperature is low, the evaporation speed of water from the collectors is lowered. However, the produced water and moving water in the cathode are physically attracted on the basis of the water-absorbing pressure of the gas diffusion layer and discharged toward the collector side, so that the reduction of the cell voltage is prevented.

Fuel cell

The present invention provides a polymer electrolyte fuel cell capable of eliminating condensate water, and preventing flooding due to an excessively humidified electrode by a simple structure and easy processing composition. A fuel cell comprising a plurality of stacked cells where separators having respectively a fuel gas passage or an oxidant gas passage formed on the surface thereof are opposed to a fuel electrode or an air electrode and an electrolyte membrane is arranged between the fuel electrode and the air electrode, in which a drainage means is disposed downstream the middle of the fuel gas passage or oxidant gas passage. In addition, a temperature adjustment means for adjusting the temperature of the fuel or the oxidant is provided at least at one point in the path from the supply inlet to the discharge exit of at least one passage of fuel electrode side or the air electrode side.

Fuel cell having temperature adjustment means for reaction gas

An inexpensive gas diffusion layer arrangement for fuel cell excellent in gas permeability, water repellence, and also excellent in mechanical strength, allowing a continuous formation. The gas diffusion layer arrangement is used for at least one of gas diffusion layers of a fuel cell where a fuel electrode side catalyst layer and an air electrode side catalyst layer are disposed at both faces of an electrolyte film, and further a gas diffusion layer arrangement is disposed respectively on the outer surface of the fuel electrode side catalyst layer and air electrode side catalyst layer, wherein the gas diffusion layer is formed of a mesh sheet having a heat resistance and an acid resistance, and a mixture of electrically conductive powder and water repellent filler for filling voids of the mesh sheet.

Gas diffusion layer arrangement for a fuel cell

The object of the present invention is to provide fuel cell including a cell that is formed by sandwiching solid polymer membrane between an anode and a cathode that generates electricity with stability and high performance by evenly moistening the solid polymer membrane. For this purpose, in a gas diffusion layer , which is positioned adjacent to a cathode catalyst layer , the content of fluororesin in an area on the side of the entrance for the oxidizer is set to be higher than in another area on the side of the exit so that the water repellency in the entrance side area is higher than in the exit side area. As a result, a water permeation suppressing part A, where the water permeability is relatively low, is formed in the area on the entrance side, while a water permeable part B, where the water permeability is relatively high, is formed in the area on the exit side.

Fuel cell having water permeability adjustment capability

A fuel cell comprising a stack including a stack including a plurality of cell units and a plurality of gas separators and at least one cooling plate, one of the gas separator and the cooling plate being interposed between adjacent cell units, the fuel cell being characterized in that; each gas separator and the cooling plate, respectively, have oxidant gas channels on one of surfaces that opposes to have contact with one of electrode surfaces of the cell unit to as to flow an oxidant gas in a direction vertical to a direction of a cooling air flowing through the cooling plate; each gas separator and the cooling plate, respectively, have fuel gas channels, a fuel-gas-supply inner manifold for taking in a fuel gas, and a fuel-gas-exhaust inner manifold for releasing the fuel gas having passed through the fuel gas channels on the other surface that opposes to have contact with the other electrode surface of the cell unit so as to flow the fuel gas in a direction parallel to the direction of the cooling air flowing through the cooling plates; and an inlet of the fuel-gas-supply inner manifold and an outlet of the fuel-gas-exhaust inner manifold are formed so as to supply and release the fuel gas in a same direction of the oxidant gas flowing through the oxidant gas channels.

Growing community of inventors

Gunma, Japan

Kunihiro Nakato