Cutting method and system for CCM membrane electrode

Abstract

The invention discloses a CCM membrane electrode cutting method and system. The cutting method of the CCM membrane electrode comprises the steps that S1, a CCM membrane electrode sheet and a protective gasket material are placed on a conveying belt, and the protective gasket material is located below the CCM membrane electrode sheet; wherein the conveying belt is a metal belt and is arranged to be capable of adsorbing a CCM membrane electrode sheet positioned on the conveying belt in a vacuum manner; s2, performing laser cutting on the CCM membrane electrode sheet on the conveying belt under the protection of inert gas so as to cut out CCM membrane electrode monomers; wherein the CCM membrane electrode sheet is completely cut off, and the protective gasket sheet is not cut off; s3, drying and shaping the CCM membrane electrode monomer; and S4, removing the dried and shaped CCM membrane electrode monomer. According to the cutting method and system of the CCM membrane electrode, the cutting loss of the CCM membrane is small, the quality of the cutting surface is high, and the performance of the obtained CCM membrane electrode is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of fuel cells, and in particular to a CCM membrane electrode cutting method and system. Background Art

[0002] CCM (Catalyst Coated Membrane), also known as catalyst coated proton membrane, is a key component commonly used in fuel cells. It is a thin film structure consisting of a proton exchange membrane layer, an anode catalyst layer and a cathode catalyst layer. The CCM membrane is thin and soft, usually about 20-30um thick. CCM membrane electrode products are usually made by cutting and assembling CCM membrane rolls according to specific sizes. However, due to the thinness and softness of the CCM membrane, it is not easy to feed during the cutting process. The industry usually uses auxiliary components such as backing films for feeding, and uses cutting die machines for mechanical cutting. There are inconveniences in feeding, waste of backing film materials, large loss of CCM membrane materials, and the cutting surface of the CCM membrane is squeezed by the cutting die and has cutting burrs, which is prone to micro-short circuits on the cutting surface, affecting the performance of the CCM membrane.

[0003] Based on this, it is necessary to propose a technical solution to overcome the shortcomings of the existing technology. Summary of the invention

[0004] In order to overcome the defects of the prior art, the present invention proposes a CCM membrane electrode cutting method and system, the CCM membrane cutting loss is small, the cutting surface quality is high, and the performance of the obtained CCM membrane electrode is improved.

[0005] The present invention is implemented by the following technical solution: a CCM membrane electrode cutting method, the cutting method comprising: S1, placing the CCM membrane electrode sheet and the protective pad sheet onto a conveyor belt, wherein the protective pad sheet is located below the CCM membrane electrode sheet; wherein the conveyor belt is a metal belt and is configured to be able to vacuum absorb the CCM membrane electrode sheet thereon; S2. Under the protection of an inert gas, laser cutting is performed on the CCM membrane electrode sheet on the conveyor belt to cut out the CCM membrane electrode monomer; wherein the CCM membrane electrode sheet is completely cut off, and the protective pad sheet is not cut off; S3, drying and shaping the CCM membrane electrode monomer; S4, removing the dried and shaped CCM membrane electrode monomer.

[0006] As a further improved technical solution, the CCM membrane electrode sheet is a coil wound on a material unwinding reel, and the CCM membrane electrode sheet is tensioned by a tensioning roller and then transported to the conveyor belt.

[0007] As a further improved technical solution, the protective pad sheet material is a non-woven fabric roll.

[0008] As a further improved technical solution, the CCM membrane electrode sheet and the protective pad sheet are separately arranged on different unwinding reels.

[0009] As a further improved technical solution, the laser cutting adopts an ultraviolet picosecond laser.

[0010] As a further improved technical solution, the drying and shaping is performed by heating the CCM membrane electrode monomer using a heating plate disposed above the conveyor belt.

[0011] The present invention is also implemented through the following technical solution: a CCM membrane electrode cutting system, the cutting system includes a CCM membrane electrode sheet material discharge device, a protective pad sheet material discharge device, a conveying device, a cutting device, a stress release device and a removal device, wherein: The CCM membrane electrode sheet discharging device is used to discharge the CCM membrane electrode sheet to the conveying device; The protective pad sheet material discharging device is used to discharge the protective pad sheet material to the conveying device; and the protective pad sheet material is located below the CCM membrane electrode sheet material; The conveying device comprises a conveyor belt, a transmission wheel and a vacuum extractor, wherein the conveyor belt rotates and transmits on the transmission wheel, the conveyor belt is a metal belt, and the vacuum extractor extracts and forms a vacuum so that the conveyor belt vacuum absorbs the CCM membrane electrode sheet thereon; The cutting device comprises a laser and an inert gas protection element, and the laser emitted by the laser cuts the CCM membrane electrode sheet on the conveyor belt under the protection of the inert gas to cut out the CCM membrane electrode monomer; The stress release device comprises a heating element, and the heating element heats the CCM membrane electrode monomer to release stress; The removing device is used to remove the CCM membrane electrode unit after stress release.

[0012] As a further improved technical solution, the cutting system further includes a material receiving device, which is arranged downstream of the forward direction of the conveyor belt and receives the protective pad sheet material.

[0013] As a further improved technical solution, the protective pad sheet is non-woven fabric.

[0014] As a further improved technical solution, the heating element is a heating plate arranged above the conveyor belt.

[0015] The present invention provides a cutting method for a CCM membrane electrode, wherein the CCM membrane electrode sheet is transported by a metal conveyor belt capable of vacuum adsorption, a protective pad sheet is provided for protection, and laser cutting is performed under the protection of an inert gas, thereby eliminating the need for a back film material, and the cutting process is not prone to overheating or ignition, the incision is smooth, and the utilization rate of the CCM membrane electrode sheet is high; from the cross-sectional view of the incision, the anode and cathode coatings and the proton exchange membrane of the obtained CCM membrane electrode are clearly layered, and the cutting edge has better insulation, thereby making the membrane electrode more resistant to breakdown. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] Figure 1 It is a flow chart of the CCM membrane electrode cutting process of the present invention.

[0017] Figure 2 It is a schematic diagram of the CCM membrane electrode cutting process of the present invention.

[0018] Figure 3 It is a schematic diagram of laser cutting of the CCM membrane electrode of the present invention under gas protection.

[0019] Figure 4 It is an electron microscope image of the cutting surface formed by cutting the CCM membrane electrode of the present invention.

[0020] Figure 5 It is a breakdown test comparison diagram of CCM membrane electrodes cut by the CCM membrane electrode cutting method of the present invention and CCM membrane electrodes cut by a knife die.

[0021] The accompanying drawings are marked as follows: 1-CCM membrane electrode sheet discharge device; 10-CCM membrane electrode sheet; 11-tensioning roller; 2-protection pad sheet discharge device; 20-protection pad sheet; 3-conveying device; 31-transmission belt; 32-driving wheel; 33-vacuum extractor; 4-cutting device; 41-inert gas protection element; 5-heating plate; 6-material collecting device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0022] In order to have a clearer understanding of the technical features, purposes and effects of the present invention, specific embodiments of the present invention are now described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0023] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention are clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, rather than all the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative work are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0024] See also Figures 1 to 3 As shown, the present invention provides a CCM membrane electrode cutting method for cutting a CCM membrane electrode sheet 10 into CCM membrane electrode monomers. The cutting method comprises: S1, placing the CCM membrane electrode sheet 10 and the protective pad sheet 20 onto a conveyor belt 31, wherein the protective pad sheet 20 is located below the CCM membrane electrode sheet 10; wherein the conveyor belt 31 is a metal belt and is configured to be able to vacuum absorb the CCM membrane electrode sheet 10 thereon; S2, laser cutting the CCM membrane electrode sheet 10 on the conveyor belt 31 under the protection of inert gas to cut out the CCM membrane electrode monomer; wherein the CCM membrane electrode sheet 10 is completely cut off, and the protective pad sheet 20 is not cut off; S3, drying and shaping the CCM membrane electrode monomer; S4, removing the dried and shaped CCM membrane electrode monomer.

[0025] The CCM membrane electrode cutting method provided by the present invention adopts a CCM membrane electrode sheet 10 to be transported by a metal conveyor belt 31 capable of vacuum adsorption, and a protective pad sheet 20 is provided for protection, and laser cutting is performed under the protection of an inert gas, thereby eliminating the need for a back film material, and is not prone to overheating or ignition during the cutting process. The incision is smooth, and the utilization rate of the CCM membrane electrode sheet is high. From the cross-sectional view of the incision, the anode and cathode coatings and the proton exchange membrane of the obtained CCM membrane electrode are clearly layered, and the cutting edge has better insulation, so that the membrane electrode has a higher breakdown resistance.

[0026] See also Figures 1 to 3 As shown, in this embodiment, the CCM membrane electrode sheet 10 is a coil wound on a CCM membrane electrode sheet unwinding device 1. That is, the CCM membrane electrode sheet 10 is wound into a roll, which is easy to place and transport. The CCM membrane electrode sheet unwinding device 1 includes a unwinding reel, and when cutting, the rolled CCM membrane electrode sheet 10 is sleeved on the unwinding reel. In this embodiment, the unwinding reel is an inflatable shaft. The inflatable shaft fixes and releases the coil by inflation and deflation. Inflation causes the surface of the inflatable shaft to bulge, and deflation causes the surface of the inflatable shaft to retract quickly, which facilitates the loading and unloading of the coil.

[0027] In this embodiment, the CCM membrane electrode sheet 10 is conveyed to the conveyor belt 31 after being tensioned by the tensioning roller 11. By providing the tensioning roller 11, the CCM membrane electrode sheet 10 can be flattened before being conveyed to the conveyor belt 31, so that the subsequent CCM membrane electrode sheet 10 can be better attached and adsorbed on the conveyor belt 31. Figure 2 Only one tensioning roller 11 is shown in the figure. In other embodiments, the tensioning roller 11 may be provided in plurality. The plurality of tensioning rollers 11 may be provided on both sides of the CCM membrane electrode sheet 10 in an alternating manner up and down.

[0028] The setting method of the protective pad sheet 20 is similar to that of the CCM membrane electrode sheet 10. Specifically, the protective pad sheet 20 is a coil wound on the protective pad sheet unloading device 2. That is, the protective pad sheet 20 is wound into a roll, which is easy to place and transport. The protective pad sheet unloading device 2 includes a unloading reel, and when cutting, the rolled protective pad sheet 20 is sleeved on the unloading reel. In this embodiment, the unloading reel is an inflatable shaft. The inflatable shaft fixes and releases the coil by inflation and deflation. Inflation makes the surface of the inflatable shaft protrude, and deflation makes the surface of the inflatable shaft retract rapidly, which is convenient for loading and unloading of the coil. Similarly, the protective pad sheet 20 can also be conveyed to the conveyor belt 31 after being tensioned by a tensioning roller. The tensioning roller used to tension the protective pad sheet 20 can refer to the tensioning roller setting described above, which will not be repeated here.

[0029] In the present embodiment, the protective pad sheet 20 is a non-woven fabric roll. The provision of the protective pad sheet 20 can prevent impurities such as cutting slag formed during the laser cutting process from being retained on the conveyor belt 31 to contaminate the CCM membrane electrode and cause damage to the CCM membrane electrode. The protective pad sheet 20 is made of non-woven fabric, which is soft in texture and can accommodate impurities such as cutting slag. In subsequent processes, the protective pad sheet 20 will be recovered by the material receiving device, and the impurities in the protective pad sheet 20 will be taken away from the conveyor belt 31. In the present embodiment, the CCM membrane electrode sheet 10 and the protective pad sheet 20 are arranged on different unwinding reels. In comparison, the unwinding reel on which the protective pad sheet 20 is mounted is closer to the conveyor belt 31, which is conducive to the transportation of the protective pad sheet 20 at the bottom and the CCM membrane electrode sheet 10 at the top.

[0030] See also Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, in this embodiment, the laser cutting uses an ultraviolet picosecond laser. Preferably, an ultraviolet laser with a wavelength of 365nm is used to implement cold light cutting on the CCM membrane electrode sheet 10 to avoid cutting thermal deformation at the edge of the CCM membrane electrode sheet 10. While cutting, an inert gas protection member 41 forms an inert gas atmosphere around the cutting surface to isolate the air and prevent fire. In this embodiment, the inert gas is nitrogen; in other embodiments, it can also be argon or other gases. In this embodiment, the CCM membrane electrode sheet 10 is completely cut off, while the protective pad sheet 20 is not cut off. In this embodiment, not being cut off means half cutting, that is, the protective pad sheet 2 is cut to a certain depth in its thickness, so that the CCM membrane electrode sheet 10 can be completely cut off without adhesion. Of course, in other embodiments, not being cut off can also mean no cut marks, that is, the cutting depth of the laser is controlled to be exactly the same as the thickness of the CCM membrane electrode sheet 10.

[0031] The CCM membrane electrode sheet 10 is cut to form a CCM membrane electrode monomer, and the cut CCM membrane electrode monomer is moved to the downstream drying and shaping station driven by the conveyor belt 31. In this embodiment, the drying and shaping is to heat the CCM membrane electrode monomer using a heating plate 5 arranged above the conveyor belt 31. After the heating and drying treatment, the CCM membrane electrode monomer can be dehydrated and shrunk in advance, which can remove stress, maintain the shape and size stability of the CCM membrane electrode monomer, and prevent shrinkage in subsequent use, causing deformation and size changes of the CCM membrane electrode monomer.

[0032] After the CCM membrane electrode monomer is dried and shaped, it is sucked by a vacuum adsorption robot, removed from the conveyor belt 31, and attached to the frame after visual positioning to complete the subsequent mounting process.

[0033] A material receiving device 6 is also provided downstream of the conveyor belt 31 in the forward direction, and the material receiving device 6 receives the protective pad sheet 20. In this embodiment, the material receiving device 6 includes a material receiving reel for winding and recycling the protective pad sheet 20. Furthermore, the material receiving device 6 may also include a waste recycling bucket for recycling waste materials that are cut and removed from the CCM membrane electrode sheet 10 due to defects.

[0034] The present invention also provides a CCM membrane electrode cutting system for executing the above cutting method. The cutting system comprises a CCM membrane electrode sheet material discharging device 1, a protective pad sheet material discharging device 2, a conveying device 3, a cutting device 4, a stress release device, a removal device and a material receiving device 6.

[0035] The CCM membrane electrode sheet material discharging device 1 is used to discharge the CCM membrane electrode sheet material 10 to the conveying device 3, and the protective pad sheet material discharging device 2 is used to discharge the protective pad sheet material 20 to the conveying device 3. The protective pad sheet material 20 is located below the CCM membrane electrode sheet material 10. In this embodiment, the protective pad sheet material 20 is a non-woven fabric.

[0036] The conveying device 3 includes a conveyor belt 31, at least two transmission wheels 32 and at least one vacuum extractor 33, and the conveyor belt 31 rotates and drives on the two transmission wheels 32. The conveyor belt 31 is a metal belt, and the vacuum extractor 33 extracts to form a vacuum so that the conveyor belt 31 vacuum-adsorbs the CCM membrane electrode sheet 10 located thereon. It can be understood that the conveying device 3 includes a mounting bracket, and the two transmission wheels 32 are rotatably mounted on the mounting bracket. In this embodiment, the vacuum extractor 33 is mounted on the mounting bracket to suck air and form an adsorption force on the surface of the conveyor belt 31. Conveying devices with vacuum adsorption function can be purchased from the market, and this application does not limit their specific structure.

[0037] The cutting device 4 includes a laser and an inert gas protection member 41. The laser emitted by the laser cuts the CCM membrane electrode sheet 10 on the conveyor belt 31 under the protection of the inert gas to cut out the CCM membrane electrode monomer. In this embodiment, the laser cutting uses an ultraviolet picosecond laser. Preferably, an ultraviolet laser with a wavelength of 365nm is used to implement cold light cutting of the CCM membrane electrode sheet 10 to avoid thermal deformation of the edge of the CCM membrane electrode sheet 10 caused by cutting. While cutting, an inert gas atmosphere is formed around the cutting surface by the inert gas protection member 41 to isolate the air and prevent fire. In this embodiment, the inert gas is nitrogen; in other embodiments, it can also be a gas such as argon.

[0038] The stress release device includes a heating element, which heats the CCM membrane electrode monomer to release stress. In this embodiment, the heating element is a heating plate 5 arranged above the conveyor belt 31. The stress release process is also a drying and shaping process, which can make the CCM membrane electrode monomer dehydrate and shrink in advance, remove stress, maintain the shape and size of the CCM membrane electrode monomer stable, and prevent shrinkage in subsequent use, causing deformation and size changes of the CCM membrane electrode monomer.

[0039] The removal device is used to remove the CCM membrane electrode monomer after stress release. The removal device includes a vacuum adsorption robot, which absorbs the CCM membrane electrode monomer from the conveyor belt 31, and affixes it to the frame after visual positioning to complete the subsequent mounting process.

[0040] The receiving device 6 is arranged downstream of the conveyor belt 31 in the forward direction, and the receiving device 6 receives the protective pad sheet 20. In this embodiment, the receiving device 6 includes a receiving reel for winding and recycling the protective pad sheet 20. Furthermore, the receiving device 6 may also include a waste recycling bucket for recycling waste materials cut and removed from the CCM membrane electrode sheet 10 due to defects.

[0041] The working process of the cutting system provided by the present invention is as follows: the CCM membrane electrode sheet 10 and the protective pad sheet 20 are fixed on the unloading shaft respectively, and the CCM membrane electrode sheet 10 and the protective pad sheet 20 are flattened and transported to the conveyor belt 31 of the conveying device 3 by using the tension control of the unloading shaft. The CCM membrane electrode sheet 10 and the protective pad sheet 20 are vacuum adsorbed and adhered to the conveyor belt 31; since the CCM membrane electrode sheet 10 may have defects and be accompanied by defect marks, the CCM membrane electrode sheet 10 will first be identified by the visual system before cutting. The visual system grabs the edge position of the CCM membrane electrode sheet 10 and the size position set by the system, and cooperates with the laser to cut the CCM membrane electrode sheet 10. The cutting adopts a 365nm ultraviolet picosecond laser to perform cold light cutting on the CCM membrane electrode sheet 10; after cutting, the CCM membrane electrode monomer is dried by the heating plate 5; finally, the CCM membrane electrode monomer is sucked by the vacuum adsorption manipulator, and is attached to the frame after visual positioning.

[0042] See also Figure 4 As shown in FIG. 1 , it is an electron microscope image of the cut surface formed by cutting the CCM membrane electrode of the present invention. Among them, from top to bottom are the anode catalyst layer, the proton exchange membrane layer and the cathode catalyst layer. It can be seen from the cut cross-sectional view that the cathode and cathode catalyst layers and the proton exchange membrane of the obtained CCM membrane electrode are clearly layered.

[0043] See also Figure 5 As shown, a breakdown test comparison chart of the CCM membrane electrode cut by the CCM membrane electrode cutting method of the present invention and the CCM membrane electrode cut by a knife die is shown. It can be seen from the figure that in the process of gradually increasing the voltage from 0 to 5V, the current of the CCM membrane electrode using the laser cutting scheme of the present invention fluctuates slightly and then quickly stabilizes, while the CCM membrane electrode cut by a knife die has a larger fluctuation; as the voltage further increases, the current of the CCM membrane electrode using the laser cutting scheme of the present invention has been relatively stable, while the CCM membrane electrode cut by a knife die breaks down when the voltage increases to about 20V. It can be seen that the incision of the scheme of the present invention is smooth, so that the cutting edge has better insulation, and the membrane electrode has a higher breakdown resistance.

[0044] From the above description of the specific embodiments, it can be seen that in the CCM membrane electrode cutting method provided by the present invention, the CCM membrane electrode sheet 10 is transported by a metal conveyor belt 31 that can be vacuum adsorbed, and a protective pad sheet 20 is provided for protection, and laser cutting is performed under the protection of an inert gas, thereby eliminating the back film material and preventing overheating and fire during the cutting process; the incision is smooth, and the utilization rate of the CCM membrane electrode sheet is high. In terms of material utilization, there is no additional loss between sheets, and the cutting utilization rate can reach 99.5%; from the cross-sectional view of the incision, the anode and cathode coatings and the proton exchange membrane of the obtained CCM membrane electrode are clearly layered, and the cutting edge has better insulation, which makes the membrane electrode more resistant to breakdown.

[0045] The present invention is described by several specific embodiments, and it should be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes and equivalent substitutions may be made to the present invention without departing from the scope of the present invention. In addition, various modifications may be made to the present invention for specific situations or specific circumstances without departing from the scope of the present invention. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed, but should include all implementation methods falling within the scope of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for cutting a CCM membrane electrode. It is characterized in that The cutting method comprises: S1, placing the CCM membrane electrode sheet and the protective pad sheet onto a conveyor belt, wherein the protective pad sheet is located below the CCM membrane electrode sheet; wherein the conveyor belt is a metal belt and is configured to be able to vacuum absorb the CCM membrane electrode sheet thereon; S2. Under the protection of an inert gas, laser cutting is performed on the CCM membrane electrode sheet on the conveyor belt to cut out the CCM membrane electrode monomer; wherein the CCM membrane electrode sheet is completely cut off, and the protective pad sheet is not cut off; S3, drying and shaping the CCM membrane electrode monomer; S4, removing the dried and shaped CCM membrane electrode monomer.

2. The CCM membrane electrode cutting method according to claim 1, It is characterized in that The CCM membrane electrode sheet is a coil wound on a material unwinding reel. The CCM membrane electrode sheet is tensioned by a tensioning roller and then transported to the conveyor belt.

3. The CCM membrane electrode cutting method according to claim 2, It is characterized in that The protective pad sheet material is a non-woven fabric roll.

4. The CCM membrane electrode cutting method according to claim 3, It is characterized in that The CCM membrane electrode sheet and the protective pad sheet are arranged on different unwinding reels.

5. The CCM membrane electrode cutting method according to claim 1, It is characterized in that The laser cutting adopts an ultraviolet picosecond laser.

6. The CCM membrane electrode cutting method according to claim 1, It is characterized in that The drying and shaping is performed by heating the CCM membrane electrode monomer using a heating plate arranged above the conveyor belt.

7. A CCM membrane electrode cutting system, It is characterized in that The cutting system includes a CCM membrane electrode sheet material discharging device, a protective pad sheet material discharging device, a conveying device, a cutting device, a stress release device and a removal device, wherein: The CCM membrane electrode sheet discharging device is used to discharge the CCM membrane electrode sheet to the conveying device; The protective pad sheet material discharging device is used to discharge the protective pad sheet material to the conveying device; and the protective pad sheet material is located below the CCM membrane electrode sheet material; The conveying device comprises a conveyor belt, a transmission wheel and a vacuum extractor, wherein the conveyor belt rotates and drives on the transmission wheel, the conveyor belt is a metal belt, and the vacuum extractor extracts and forms a vacuum so that the conveyor belt vacuum absorbs the CCM membrane electrode sheet thereon; The cutting device comprises a laser and an inert gas protection element, and the laser emitted by the laser cuts the CCM membrane electrode sheet on the conveyor belt under the protection of the inert gas to cut out the CCM membrane electrode monomer; The stress release device comprises a heating element, and the heating element heats the CCM membrane electrode monomer to release stress; The removing device is used to remove the CCM membrane electrode unit after stress release.

8. The cutting system according to claim 7, It is characterized in that The cutting system further comprises a material receiving device, which is arranged downstream of the forward direction of the conveyor belt and receives the protective pad sheet material.

9. The cutting system according to claim 8, It is characterized in that The protective pad sheet material is non-woven fabric.

10. The cutting system according to claim 7, It is characterized in that The heating element is a heating plate arranged above the conveyor belt.

Images