Method of manufacturing stainless steel fiber paper for anion exchange membrane water electrolysis and anion exchange membrane water electrolysis device using stainless steel fiber paper

Abstract

This disclosure provides a method for manufacturing stainless steel fiber paper for anion exchange membrane water electrolysis. The method involves using microwave plasma to treat the surface of the stainless steel fiber paper, thereby changing the surface material properties of the stainless steel fiber paper. In addition, this disclosure further discloses an anion exchange membrane water electrolysis device using stainless steel fiber paper. By using the aforementioned microwave plasma-treated stainless steel fiber paper as a porous transport layer, it has a self-catalytic effect during the electrolysis process, thus eliminating the need to use precious metals or electroplat a catalyst layer on the porous transport layer.

Claims

1. A method for preparing stainless steel fiber paper for anion exchange membrane water electrolysis, comprising: Provide a plasma treatment device; Stainless steel fiber paper is placed in the plasma treatment equipment; The plasma treatment equipment is used to introduce and activate working gas to generate plasma, and the plasma is controlled to perform surface treatment on the stainless steel fiber paper.

2. The method for manufacturing stainless steel fiber paper for anion exchange membrane water electrolysis as described in claim 1, wherein, The working gas is argon, helium, oxygen, or nitrogen.

3. The method for manufacturing stainless steel fiber paper for anion exchange membrane water electrolysis as described in claim 1, wherein, The stainless steel fiber paper has a thickness of 0.20 mm to 1 mm, a fiber diameter of 6 μm to 36 μm, and a porosity of 40% to 80%.

4. The method for manufacturing stainless steel fiber paper for anion exchange membrane water electrolysis as described in claim 1, wherein, The plasma treatment apparatus includes: a cavity for containing the stainless steel fiber paper and having a gas input section for introducing the working gas; a microwave generator connected to the cavity and for introducing generated microwaves into the cavity to excite the working gas to generate plasma; and a magnetic coil disposed outside the cavity and using a magnetic field to control the distribution of the plasma to perform surface treatment on the stainless steel fiber paper.

5. The method for manufacturing stainless steel fiber paper for anion exchange membrane water electrolysis as described in claim 4, wherein, The microwave generator and the cavity further include a waveguide for guiding the microwaves into the cavity.

6. The method for manufacturing stainless steel fiber paper for anion exchange membrane water electrolysis as described in claim 4, wherein, The frequency of the microwave generated by the microwave generator is 2.45 GHz, and its power output is 1 kW to 2 kW.

7. The method for manufacturing stainless steel fiber paper for anion exchange membrane water electrolysis as described in claim 4, wherein, The flow rate of the working gas introduced into the cavity is 5 to 100 sccm.

8. The method for manufacturing stainless steel fiber paper for anion exchange membrane water electrolysis as described in claim 4, wherein, The surface treatment is performed using plasma power of 100W to 400W and a processing time of 5 to 60 seconds.

9. The method for manufacturing stainless steel fiber paper for anion exchange membrane water electrolysis as described in claim 1 further includes pretreating the stainless steel fiber paper before placing it in the plasma treatment equipment to remove grease, oxides and / or salts from the surface of the stainless steel fiber paper.

10. The method for manufacturing stainless steel fiber paper for anion exchange membrane water electrolysis as described in claim 9, wherein, The pretreatment includes: sequentially immersing the stainless steel fiber paper in sulfuric acid, ethanol, and water; subjecting the stainless steel fiber paper to ultrasonic treatment; and drying the stainless steel fiber paper using an oven.

11. The method for manufacturing stainless steel fiber paper for anion exchange membrane water electrolysis as described in claim 10, wherein, The sulfuric acid concentration is 1 mole / L, the ultrasonic treatment time is 3 to 30 minutes, and the drying time is 0.5 to 3 hours in the oven at a temperature of 50°C to 100°C.

12. A water electrolysis device using an anion exchange membrane with stainless steel fiber paper, comprising: a first electrode plate having a first flow channel; a second electrode plate coupled to the first electrode plate and having a second flow channel corresponding to the first flow channel; an ion exchange membrane disposed between the first electrode plate and the second electrode plate to separate the first flow channel and the second flow channel; and a first porous transport layer disposed between the first flow channel and the ion exchange membrane, wherein... The first porous transport layer is stainless steel fiber paper made according to any one of claims 1 to 11; and the second porous transport layer is disposed between the second flow channel and the ion exchange membrane.

13. The anion exchange membrane water electrolysis device using stainless steel fiber paper as described in claim 12, wherein, The first electrode plate and the second electrode plate are the anode plate and the cathode plate, respectively.

14. The anion exchange membrane water electrolysis device using stainless steel fiber paper as described in claim 12, further comprising two gaskets respectively disposed between the first electrode plate and the ion exchange membrane and between the second electrode plate and the ion exchange membrane.

15. The anion exchange membrane water electrolysis device using stainless steel fiber paper as described in claim 12 further includes two heating plates, which are respectively disposed on the outer surfaces of the first electrode plate and the second electrode plate.

16. The anion exchange membrane water electrolysis device using stainless steel fiber paper as described in claim 12, wherein, The second porous transport layer is carbon fiber paper.

17. The anion exchange membrane water electrolysis device using stainless steel fiber paper as described in claim 16, wherein, The carbon fiber paper is plasma-treated by a plasma machine and then reacted with a mixture of ruthenium trichloride, ethylene glycol and water.

18. The anion exchange membrane water electrolysis device using stainless steel fiber paper as described in claim 17, wherein, The plasma machine, operating at a pressure of 0.3 to 0.8 Torr and a power of 8 to 11 watts for 5 to 60 seconds, introduces argon, helium, oxygen, nitrogen, or any combination of two of the aforementioned gases at a gas flow rate of 2 to 12 sccm to form plasma for plasma treatment of the carbon fiber paper.

19. The anion exchange membrane water electrolysis device using stainless steel fiber paper as described in claim 18, wherein, The provided gas combination is a combination of argon, nitrogen or helium and oxygen, with the percentage of argon, nitrogen or helium being 61% to 95% and the percentage of oxygen being 39% to 5%.

20. The anion exchange membrane water electrolysis device using stainless steel fiber paper as described in claim 17, wherein, The carbon fiber paper and the mixture were placed in a polytetrafluoroethylene reactor at 120°C to 180°C for 8 to 24 hours to react.

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