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:
Aug. 22, 2017
Filed:
Jan. 17, 2014
Forschungszentrum Jülich Gmbh, Jülich, DE;
Andrei Kulikovsky, Nideggen-Abenden, DE;
Other;
Abstract
A method for characterizing the catalyst structure in a fuel cell, and in particular the transmission X-ray absorption measurements (XAS), in which a novel fuel cell design is used. The fuel cell comprises a first (planar) electrode having a first catalyst, a second (planar) electrode having a second catalyst, and an electrolyte membrane disposed between the electrodes and having a layer thickness l, wherein the first electrode comprises at least one catalyst-free circular region having a radius R1. Contrary to what has been customary until now, the second electrode of the fuel cell according to the invention likewise comprises a catalyst-free circular region having a radius R<R. Advantageously, 0.5 l≦[R−R]≦2 lapplies. Simulations prove that during these examinations, which capture only a narrow catalyst-containing sample ring, the local current density across the surface can be kept essentially constant, and therefore the captured catalyst particles are considerably more representative of the entire catalyst layer than in previously examinations using fuel cells in which the sample used has a completely circular measurement geometry.