The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 26, 2005
Filed:
Mar. 06, 2001
Masao Yamamoto, Kishiwada, JP;
Junji Niikura, Hirakata, JP;
Nobuhiro Hase, Kawanishi, JP;
Kazuhito Hatoh, Osaka, JP;
Hisaaki Gyoten, Shijonawate, JP;
Hideo Ohara, Katano, JP;
Teruhisa Kanbara, Toyonaka, JP;
Masayo Sugou, Tokyo, JP;
Masao Yamamoto, Kishiwada, JP;
Junji Niikura, Hirakata, JP;
Nobuhiro Hase, Kawanishi, JP;
Kazuhito Hatoh, Osaka, JP;
Hisaaki Gyoten, Shijonawate, JP;
Hideo Ohara, Katano, JP;
Teruhisa Kanbara, Toyonaka, JP;
Masayo Sugou, Tokyo, JP;
Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd., Osaka, JP;
Abstract
The present invention relates to a polymer electrolyte fuel cell comprising: an electrolyte membrane-electrode assembly including an anode, a cathode and a polymer electrolyte membrane interposed therebetween; an anode-side conductive separator plate having a gas flow channel for supplying a fuel gas to the anode; and a cathode-side conductive separator plate having a gas flow channel for supplying an oxidant gas to the cathode. A conductive separator plate made of carbon has poor wettability with water. This has posed the disadvantage that variations in performance are induced by nonuniform gas distribution among cells due to the accumulation of product water or humidifying water in the gas flow channel on the surface of the separator plate. The present invention employs a conductive separator plate comprising a conductive carbon having a hydrophilic functional group, at least in a portion of the gas flow channels, thereby preventing water from accumulating in the gas flow channels.