Electrode structure for polymer electrolyte fuel cell comprising sulfonated polyarylene-based polymer and method for manufactuing same

Abstract

There is provided an electrode structure for a polymer electrolyte fuel cell having excellent power generation performance and excellent durability and a method for manufacturing the same. Also provided is a polymer electrolyte fuel cell including the electrode structure and an electrical apparatus and a transport apparatus using the polymer electrolyte fuel cell. The electrode structure includes a polymer electrolyte membranesandwiched between a pair of electrode catalyst layers, 1 containing carbon particles supporting catalyst particles. The polymer electrolyte membraneis made of a sulfonated polyarylene-based polymer. The sulfonated polyarylene-based polymer has an ion exchange capacity in the range of 1.7 to 2.3 meq/g, and the polymer contains a component insoluble in N-methylpyrrolidone in an amount of 70% or less relative to the total amount of the polymer, after the polymer is subjected to heat treatment for exposing it under a constant temperature atmosphere of 12° C. for 200 hours. A catalyst paste containing catalyst particles and a polymer electrolyte is coated on a sheet-like supportand dried to form an electrode catalyst layercontaining a solvent in an amount in the range of 0.5% or less by weight of the total membrane. The electrode catalyst layers, 3 are thermally transferred and joined on both sides of the polymer electrolyte membrane