Honda Motor Co., Ltd.

Mihoko Kawaharada

Takashi Kato

Seiji Sugiura

Yukihito Tanaka

Hiroshi Shinkai

Kenta Urata

Kenichi Tanaka

Yoichi Asano

Takuma Yamawaki

Takao Fukumizu

Hiroshi Matsumori

A membrane electrode assembly includes a solid polymer electrolyte membrane sandwiched between a pair of electrodes. Each of the electrodes has an electrode catalyst layer and a gas diffusion layer, the electrode catalyst layer facing the electrolyte membrane. A porous layer having a thickness of 5 to 40 &#x3bc;m and a seepage pressure of 10 to 60 kPa is interposed between the electrode catalyst layer and the gas diffusion layer. The porous layers preferably have a spring constant of 100 to 1000 GPa/m. The membrane electrode assembly may be devoid of any one of the porous layers.

Membrane electrode assembly

A membrane electrode assembly with protective film includes a MEA and protective films. The MEA includes a cathode, an anode, and a solid polymer electrolyte membrane interposed between the cathode and the anode. The protective films are joined on the outer end of the solid polymer electrolyte membrane. The membrane electrode assembly has a power generation area and an edge-vicinity area. Recesses for receiving the edge-vicinity area including outer ends of the cathode and the anode are formed in outer portions of a cathode-side separator and an anode-side separator which contact the MEA.

Fuel cell having a recess in the separator

A fuel cell includes a membrane electrode assembly, a first separator, and a second separator. The membrane electrode assembly includes a solid polymer electrolyte membrane, a first electrode, a second electrode, and a resin frame member. The membrane electrode assembly includes a power generation section and a stepped section. The power generation section is located in an interior space of the resin frame member. The solid polymer electrolyte membrane is provided between the first electrode and the second electrode in the power generation section. The stepped section is located on an outer side of the first electrode. The solid polymer electrolyte membrane is provided between the second electrode and the resin frame member in the stepped section. A magnitude of an interference in the stepped section is set to be smaller than a magnitude of an interference in the power generation section.

Fuel cell

Growing community of inventors

Wako, Japan

Mihoko Kawaharada