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:
Dec. 29, 2009
Filed:
Apr. 08, 2004
Hendrik Dohle, Stolberg, DE;
Martin Müller, Bonn, DE;
Jan Bringmann, Titz, DE;
Jürgen Mergel, Jülich, DE;
Detlef Stolten, Aachen, DE;
Hendrik Dohle, Stolberg, DE;
Martin Müller, Bonn, DE;
Jan Bringmann, Titz, DE;
Jürgen Mergel, Jülich, DE;
Detlef Stolten, Aachen, DE;
Forschungszentrum Julich GmbH, Julich, DE;
Abstract
In low-temperature fuel cells according to prior art, the problem often arises that the diffusion layer of the cathode is filled by water which is permeated or produced on the cathode, such that oxygen can no longer be transported to the catalyst layer of the cathode in a frictionless manner. As a result, said fuel cells are regularly used with a high excess of oxygen in order to reduce the cited transport problems for the oxygen. The inventive fuel cell enables said problem to be solved in that the arrangement of the diffusion layer and the catalyst layer of the cathode is inverted. The diffusion layer, which is embodied in such a way as to also conduct ions, is directly adjacent to the electrolyte membrane. The catalyst layer oriented towards the free cathode space can advantageously directly react with the supplied oxygen without further transport problems. A further advantage lies in the fact that the water produced on the catalyst layer of the cathode and/or permeated by the electrolyte membrane and the diffusion layer can be easily withdrawn via the free cathode space.