Connecting substrate, peeling method, coating method, peeling device, coating device, and substrate connecting method

Abstract

To provide a technique that enables a support film to be properly peeled off from an electrolyte membrane even when an end of a substrate including an electrolyte membrane with a support film is joined to another substrate.SOLUTION: A connecting substrate 100 includes a main substrate 90, a dummy substrate 80, and a connecting member 83. The main substrate 90 has a long strip shape in which a support film 91 and an electrolyte membrane 92 are laminated. The dummy substrate 80 has a long strip shape in which a first layer 81 and a second layer 82 are laminated. The connecting member 83 connects the main substrate 90 and the dummy substrate 80. The connecting member 83 has a first portion P1, a second portion P2, and a third portion P3. The first portion P1 is a portion that adheres to the main substrate 90. The second portion P2 is a portion that adheres to the dummy substrate 80. The third portion P3 is located between the first portion P1 and the second portion P2 and overlaps an end of the main substrate 90 and an end of the dummy substrate 80. The adhesive strength of the third portion P3 is weaker than the adhesive strength of the first portion P1 and the adhesive strength of the second portion P2.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The subject matter disclosed herein relates to connecting substrates, peeling methods, coating methods, peeling devices, coating devices, and substrate connecting methods. [Background technology]

[0002] There is known a roll-to-roll manufacturing apparatus for catalyst-coated membrane assemblies (CCMs) for fuel cells or hydrogen production. In this type of manufacturing apparatus, an electrolyte membrane is unwound from a winding roller, and a catalyst ink is applied to the surface of the electrolyte membrane in a coating section. The coated electrolyte membrane is then collected on a winding roller.

[0003] When starting CCM production in a manufacturing device, a substrate is first placed on a transport path from an unwinding roller to a take-up roller. If the electrolyte membrane itself were placed on the device, a portion of the electrolyte membrane would be lost from the coating section to the take-up roller, where coating could not be performed. Therefore, in Patent Document 1, a real substrate, consisting of two layers (a support film and an electrolyte membrane), is connected layer by layer to a dummy substrate, consisting of two layers (a first layer and a second layer), to form a long, strip-shaped connected substrate. The resulting connected substrate is then transported, with the dummy substrate at the front. Along the transport path, the first layer is peeled off from the second layer, and then the support film is peeled off from the electrolyte membrane. A catalyst material is then coated on the surface of the electrolyte membrane. By transporting the dummy substrate before the real substrate, the portion of the electrolyte membrane near the front end in the transport direction where coating is not performed properly is reduced, thereby reducing material loss in the electrolyte membrane. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2017-068898 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, in Patent Document 1, when joining an electrolyte membrane with a support film and a dummy substrate (two-layer substrate), tape is attached to both sides of these substrates. In this joining process, the adhesive layers of the tapes on both sides come into contact with each other, making it difficult to peel the tapes apart, which may result in difficulty in peeling the support film from the electrolyte membrane.

[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide a technique that allows the support film to be properly peeled from the electrolyte membrane even when the end of the substrate including the electrolyte membrane with the support film is joined to another substrate. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to solve the above problem, a first aspect comprises a long strip-shaped first substrate on which a support film and an electrolyte membrane are laminated, a long strip-shaped second substrate on which a first layer and a second layer are laminated, and a connecting member that connects the first substrate and the second substrate, wherein the connecting member has a first portion that adheres to the first substrate, a second portion that adheres to the second substrate, and a third portion that is located between the first portion and the second portion and overlaps an end of the first substrate and an end of the second substrate, and the adhesive strength of the third portion is weaker than the adhesive strength of the first portion and the adhesive strength of the second portion.

[0008] A second aspect is a connecting substrate of the first aspect, wherein the connecting member has a strip-shaped tape substrate, a first adhesive layer formed on one side of the tape substrate, and an anti-adhesive film positioned between the tape substrate and the first substrate, and the anti-adhesive film is positioned in the third portion.

[0009] A third aspect is a connecting substrate of the second aspect, wherein the connecting member has a second adhesive layer formed on one side of the anti-adhesive film, the second adhesive layer adheres to the end of the first substrate and the end of the second substrate, and the adhesive strength of the second adhesive layer is weaker than the adhesive strength of the first adhesive layer.

[0010] A fourth aspect is the connecting substrate of the third aspect, wherein the second adhesive layer adheres to the surface of the electrolyte membrane of the first substrate, and the second adhesive layer is thinner than the electrolyte membrane.

[0011] A fifth aspect is the connecting substrate of the third or fourth aspect, wherein the second adhesive layer adheres to the surface of the support film of the first substrate, and the second adhesive layer is thinner than the support film.

[0012] A sixth aspect is the connecting substrate of the second aspect, wherein the connecting member has a second adhesive layer formed on one side of the anti-adhesive film, and the second adhesive layer adheres to the first adhesive layer.

[0013] A seventh aspect is the connecting substrate of the first or second aspect, wherein the first adhesive layer is formed on the first portion and the second portion, and is not formed on the third portion.

[0014] An eighth aspect is a connecting substrate according to any one of the first to seventh aspects, which has a first connecting member that adheres to one side of the first substrate, and a second connecting member that adheres to the other side of the first substrate.

[0015] A ninth aspect is a connecting substrate of any one of the first to eighth aspects, wherein the connecting member connects the first substrate and the second substrate with an end of the first substrate spaced apart from an end of the second substrate.

[0016] A tenth aspect is a peeling method comprising: a) a step of transporting a connecting substrate of the first or second aspect along its longitudinal direction; and b) a step of peeling the second layer of the first substrate from the first layer in the connecting substrate being transported in step a), and then peeling the support film of the first substrate from the electrolyte membrane.

[0017] An eleventh aspect is a coating method including: a) a step of transporting a connecting substrate of the first or second aspect along its longitudinal direction; b) a step of peeling the second layer of the first substrate from the first layer in the connecting substrate being transported in step a), and then peeling the support film of the first substrate from the electrolyte membrane; and c) a step of coating a catalyst material on the surface of the electrolyte membrane from which the support film has been peeled.

[0018] A twelfth aspect is a peeling device comprising: a conveying mechanism that conveys the connecting substrate of the first or second aspect along its longitudinal direction; and a peeling unit that peels the second layer of the first substrate from the first layer and peels the support film of the second substrate from the electrolyte membrane.

[0019] A thirteenth aspect is a coating device comprising: a conveying mechanism that conveys the connecting substrate of the first or second aspect along a longitudinal direction; a peeling unit that peels the second layer of the first substrate from the first layer and peels the support film of the second substrate from the electrolyte membrane; and a coating unit that coats a catalyst material on the surface of the electrolyte membrane from which the support film has been peeled.

[0020] A fourteenth aspect is a substrate connection method, comprising the step of connecting an end of a long strip-shaped first substrate formed by stacking a support film and an electrolyte membrane to an end of a long strip-shaped second substrate formed by stacking a first layer and a second layer using a connecting member, wherein the connecting member has a first portion that adheres to the first substrate, a second portion that adheres to the second substrate, and a third portion that is located between the first portion and the second portion and overlaps the end of the first substrate and the end of the second substrate, and the adhesive strength of the third portion is weaker than the adhesive strength of the first portion and the adhesive strength of the second portion. [Effects of the Invention]

[0021] According to the first to fourteenth aspects, by weakening the adhesive strength of the third portion of the connecting member between the end of the first substrate and the end of the second substrate, the support sheet and the electrolyte membrane can be easily peeled off.

[0022] According to the connecting substrate of the second aspect, the anti-adhesive film can prevent the third portion of the connecting member from directly adhering to the first and second substrates, thereby easily weakening the adhesive strength of the third portion of the connecting member.

[0023] The connecting substrate of the fourth embodiment can reduce adhesion of the second adhesive layer to the electrolyte membrane on the back side of the support film.

[0024] The connecting substrate of the fifth embodiment can reduce adhesion of the second adhesive layer to the electrolyte membrane on the back side of the support film. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0025] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of a manufacturing apparatus for a membrane-catalyst-layer assembly according to one embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the vicinity of the lamination roller. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing connections between a control unit and each unit in the manufacturing apparatus. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a partial cross-sectional view of a main substrate and a dummy substrate (connecting substrate) connected to each other, in the vicinity of the front end portion in the conveying direction of the main substrate. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view of a main substrate and a dummy substrate (connecting substrate) in the vicinity of the rear end portion of the main substrate in the conveying direction. [Figure 7] 10 is a flowchart showing the flow of transport of a substrate in a manufacturing apparatus. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a connection member according to a first modified example. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a connection member according to a second modified example. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a connection member according to a third modified example. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a connecting base material according to a modified example. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0026] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the components described in the embodiment are merely examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. In the drawings, the dimensions and numbers of each part may be exaggerated or simplified as necessary to facilitate understanding.

[0027] <1. Embodiment> Fig. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of a membrane-catalyst-layer assembly manufacturing apparatus 1 according to one embodiment. This manufacturing apparatus 1 is an apparatus for manufacturing a membrane-catalyst-layer assembly for a polymer electrolyte fuel cell by forming a catalyst layer to serve as an electrode on the surface of an electrolyte membrane, which is a thin, strip-shaped membrane. As shown in Fig. 1, this membrane-catalyst-layer assembly manufacturing apparatus 1 includes an introduction / peeling section 10, a suction roller 20, a coating section 30, a drying furnace 40, an attachment section 50, a surface cooling section 60, and a control section 70.

[0028] As shown in Figure 2, the introduction and peeling section 10 is a section that introduces a long, strip-shaped substrate 90 consisting of two layers, a support film 91 and an electrolyte membrane 92, onto the outer peripheral surface of the adsorption roller 20 and peels the support film 91 from the electrolyte membrane 92.

[0029] For example, a fluorine-based or hydrocarbon-based polymer electrolyte membrane is used for the electrolyte membrane 92. Specific examples of the electrolyte membrane 92 include polymer electrolyte membranes containing perfluorocarbon sulfonic acid (for example, Nafion (registered trademark) manufactured by DuPont in the United States, Flemion (registered trademark) manufactured by Asahi Glass Co., Ltd., Aciplex (registered trademark) manufactured by Asahi Kasei Corporation, and Goreselect (registered trademark) manufactured by Gore). The thickness of the electrolyte membrane 92 is, for example, 5 μm to 30 μm. The electrolyte membrane 92 swells due to atmospheric humidity and shrinks when the humidity decreases. That is, the electrolyte membrane 92 has the property of being easily deformed in response to atmospheric humidity.

[0030] The support film 91 is a film for suppressing deformation of the electrolyte membrane 92. The material of the support film 91 is a resin that has higher mechanical strength than the electrolyte membrane 92 and is excellent in shape retention. Specific examples of the support film 91 include films of PEN (polyethylene naphthalate) and PET (polyethylene terephthalate). The thickness of the support film 91 is, for example, 25 μm to 100 μm. In the following description, the direction in which the electrolyte membrane 92 is stacked on the support film 91 will be simply referred to as the "thickness direction."

[0031] As shown in FIG. 1, the introduction / peeling section 10 includes a peeling roller 11, an introduction section 12, a discharge section 13, and a connection section 14.

[0032] The peeling roller 11 is a roller that rotates around a horizontally extending axis. The peeling roller 11 has a cylindrical outer peripheral surface formed of an elastic body. The outer peripheral surface of the peeling roller 11 and the outer peripheral surface of the attraction roller 20 (described later) face each other with a gap therebetween that allows the substrate 90 to pass through. The peeling roller 11 is pressed toward the attraction roller 20 by an air cylinder (not shown).

[0033] The introduction section 12 has a substrate unwinding roller 121 and a first detection roller 122. Both the substrate unwinding roller 121 and the first detection roller 122 are arranged parallel to the peeling roller 11. Before being supplied, the substrate 90 is wound around the substrate unwinding roller 121. The substrate unwinding roller 121 is rotated by the power of a motor (not shown). When the substrate unwinding roller 121 rotates, the substrate 90 is unwound from the substrate unwinding roller 121.

[0034] The substrate 90 unwound from the substrate unwinding roller 121 changes direction upon contact with the outer peripheral surface of the first detection roller 122 and is transported toward the peeling roller 11. The first detection roller 122 measures the load received from the substrate 90 with a load cell, thereby detecting the tension applied to the substrate 90 in the introduction section 12. The control section 70, which will be described later, controls the rotation speed of the substrate unwinding roller 121 so that the tension of the substrate 90 detected by the first detection roller 122 becomes a preset value.

[0035] 2 is an enlarged view of the vicinity of the peeling roller 11. As shown in FIG. 2, the substrate 90 that has passed the first detection roller 122 is introduced into the gap 15 between the peeling roller 11 and the attraction roller 20. At this time, the support film 91 contacts the outer peripheral surface of the peeling roller 11, and the electrolyte membrane 92 contacts the outer peripheral surface of the attraction roller 20. The substrate 90 is also pressed against the outer peripheral surface of the attraction roller 20 by the pressure received from the peeling roller 11. Then, the electrolyte membrane 92 is attracted to the outer peripheral surface of the attraction roller 20 by the negative pressure of the attraction roller 20, which will be described later.

[0036] A layer of catalyst material 9a has been formed in advance on one surface of the electrolyte membrane 92 unwound from the substrate unwinding roller 121. Therefore, the electrolyte membrane 92, along with the layer of catalyst material 9a, is adsorbed onto the outer peripheral surface of the adsorption roller 20. The layer of catalyst material 9a is formed by intermittently applying catalyst ink to the surface of the electrolyte membrane 92 in a coating device separate from the manufacturing device 1 while conveying the substrate 90, which is made up of two layers, a support film 91 and an electrolyte membrane 92, in a roll-to-roll manner, and then drying the applied catalyst ink.

[0037] The discharge section 13 has a film take-up roller 131 and a second detection roller 132. Both the film take-up roller 131 and the second detection roller 132 are arranged parallel to the peeling roller 11. After passing through the gap 15, the support film 91 separates from the attraction roller 20 and is transported toward the second detection roller 132. This causes the support film 91 to be peeled off from the electrolyte membrane 92. That is, in this embodiment, the peeling roller 11, the attraction roller 20, and the discharge section 13 form a peeling section that peels the support film 91 off the electrolyte membrane 92. The peeled support film 91 changes direction by coming into contact with the outer peripheral surface of the second detection roller 132 and is transported toward the film take-up roller 131.

[0038] The film take-up roller 131 rotates by the power of a motor (not shown). As a result, the support film 91 is taken up onto the film take-up roller 131. The second detection roller 132 detects the tension applied to the support film 91 in the discharge section 13 by measuring the load received from the support film 91 with a load cell. The control section 70 (described later) controls the rotation speed of the film take-up roller 131 so that the tension of the support film 91 detected by the second detection roller 132 becomes a preset value.

[0039] The connection unit 14 is located between the substrate unwinding roller 121 and the first detection roller 122. The connection unit 14 has a mechanism for cutting the substrate (main substrate described later) 90 or the dummy substrate 80 described later, and a mechanism for connecting a new substrate 90 or dummy substrate 80 to the cut substrate 90 or dummy substrate 80.

[0040] The attraction roller 20 is a roller that rotates while attracting and holding the electrolyte membrane 92 on its outer peripheral surface. The attraction roller 20 has a cylindrical outer peripheral surface with a diameter larger than that of the peeling roller 11. The diameter of the attraction roller 20 is, for example, 400 mm to 1600 mm. The attraction roller 20 rotates around an axis that extends horizontally (i.e., parallel to the peeling roller 11) by the power of a motor (not shown). A first direction, which is the rotation direction of the attraction roller 20, and a second direction, which is the rotation direction of the peeling roller 11, are opposite to each other.

[0041] The material for the attraction roller 20 may be a porous material such as porous carbon or porous ceramics. Specific examples of porous ceramics include sintered bodies of alumina (Al2O3) or silicon carbide (SiC). The pore diameter of the porous attraction roller 20 is, for example, 5 μm or less, and the porosity is, for example, 15% to 50%. The outer circumferential surface of the attraction roller 20 is formed to have a surface roughness of, for example, an Rz (maximum height) value of 5 μm or less. The total runout of the attraction roller 20 during rotation (the variation in the distance from the rotation axis to the outer circumferential surface) is, for example, 10 μm or less.

[0042] The suction port 21 is provided on an end surface of the attraction roller 20. The suction port 21 is connected to a suction mechanism (e.g., an exhaust pump) not shown. When the suction mechanism is operated, negative pressure is generated at the suction port 21 of the attraction roller 20. Then, negative pressure is also generated on the outer peripheral surface of the attraction roller 20 through pores in the attraction roller 20. For example, by generating a negative pressure of 90 kPa or more at the suction port 21, a negative pressure of 10 kPa or more is generated on the outer peripheral surface of the attraction roller 20. The electrolyte membrane 92 is attracted and held on the outer peripheral surface of the attraction roller 20 by the negative pressure, and is transported in an arc by the rotation of the attraction roller 20.

[0043] 1, a plurality of water-cooled pipes 22 are provided inside the attraction roller 20. Cooling water adjusted to a predetermined temperature is supplied to the water-cooled pipes 22 from a water supply mechanism (not shown). When the manufacturing apparatus 1 is in operation, the heat of the attraction roller 20 is absorbed by the cooling water, which serves as a heat medium. This cools the attraction roller 20. The cooling water that has absorbed the heat is discharged to a drainage mechanism (not shown).

[0044] The coating unit 30 is a mechanism for applying a catalyst ink to the surface of the electrolyte membrane 92 transported by the attraction roller 20. The catalyst ink is an electrode paste in which particles containing a catalyst material (e.g., platinum (Pt)) are dispersed in a solvent such as alcohol. As shown in FIG. 1 , the coating unit 30 has a coating nozzle 31. The coating nozzle 31 is provided downstream of the peeling roller 11 in the direction in which the electrolyte membrane 92 is transported by the attraction roller 20. The coating nozzle 31 has a discharge port 311 facing the outer circumferential surface of the attraction roller 20. The discharge port 311 is a slit-shaped opening that extends horizontally along the outer circumferential surface of the attraction roller 20.

[0045] The coating nozzle 31 is connected to a catalyst ink supply source 33 via a supply pipe 32. An on-off valve 34 is inserted in the path of the supply pipe 32. Therefore, when the on-off valve 34 is opened, the catalyst ink is supplied from the catalyst ink supply source 33 through the supply pipe 32 to the coating nozzle 31. The catalyst ink is then ejected from the ejection port 311 of the coating nozzle 31 toward the electrolyte membrane 92. As a result, the catalyst ink is coated on the outer surface of the electrolyte membrane 92 held by the suction roller 20.

[0046] In this embodiment, the on-off valve 34 is opened and closed at a constant cycle to intermittently eject the catalyst ink from the ejection port 311 of the coating nozzle 31. This allows the catalyst ink to be intermittently applied to the surface of the electrolyte membrane 92 at constant intervals in the transport direction. However, the on-off valve 34 may also be opened continuously to apply the catalyst ink to the surface of the electrolyte membrane 92 without interruption in the transport direction.

[0047] The catalyst material in the catalyst ink is a material that causes a fuel cell reaction in the anode or cathode of the polymer fuel cell. Specifically, platinum (Pt), platinum alloys, platinum compounds, etc. can be used as the catalyst material. Examples of platinum alloys include platinum (Pt), platinum alloys, platinum compounds, platinum alloys ... Examples of suitable catalyst materials include an alloy of platinum and at least one metal selected from the group consisting of ruthenium (Ru), palladium (Pd), nickel (Ni), molybdenum (Mo), iridium (Ir), iron (Fe), etc. Generally, platinum is used as the catalyst material for the cathode, and a platinum alloy is used as the catalyst material for the anode. The catalyst ink ejected from the coating nozzle 31 may be for either the cathode or the anode. However, the catalyst materials 9a and 9b formed on the front and back surfaces of the electrolyte membrane 92 are catalyst materials of opposite polarity.

[0048] The drying oven 40 is a section for drying the catalyst ink coated on the surface of the electrolyte membrane 92. In this embodiment, the drying oven 40 is located downstream of the coating unit 30 in the direction in which the electrolyte membrane 92 is transported by the attraction roller 20. The drying oven 40 is also provided in an arc shape along the outer circumferential surface of the attraction roller 20. As shown in FIG. 1 , the drying oven 40 has three hot air supply units 41 to 43 and two heat shield units 44 and 45. The three hot air supply units 41 to 43 blow heated gas (hot air) toward the outer circumferential surface of the attraction roller 20. When the electrolyte membrane 92 coated with the catalyst ink passes through the hot air supply units 41 to 43, the hot air dries and solidifies the catalyst ink. That is, the solvent in the catalyst ink evaporates, forming a layer of catalyst material 9b on the surface of the electrolyte membrane 92.

[0049] The three hot air supply units 41 to 43 each blow a different temperature of hot air. The temperatures of the hot air blown from the three hot air supply units 41 to 43 increase sequentially from the upstream side to the downstream side in the transport direction of the electrolyte membrane 92 by the attraction roller 20. The temperature of the hot air blown from the hot air supply unit 41, which is the most upstream in the transport direction, is, for example, equal to or higher than the ambient temperature and equal to or lower than 40°C. The temperature of the hot air blown from the second hot air supply unit 42 is, for example, equal to or higher than 40°C and equal to or lower than 80°C. Furthermore, the temperature of the hot air blown from the hot air supply unit 43, which is the most downstream in the transport direction, is, for example, equal to or higher than 50°C and equal to or lower than 100°C.

[0050] In this way, in the drying furnace 40 of this embodiment, the temperature of the hot air blown onto the electrolyte membrane 92 gradually increases toward the downstream side in the transport direction. This allows the temperatures of the electrolyte membrane 92 and the catalyst ink to rise gradually. This prevents damage such as cracks from occurring in the catalyst material 9b due to rapid drying.

[0051] The two heat shields 44, 45 are provided upstream and downstream of the three hot air supply units 41-43 in the transport direction of the electrolyte membrane 92 by the adsorption roller 20. That is, one heat shield 44 is located upstream of the hot air supply unit 41, which is located most upstream in the transport direction, and the other heat shield 45 is located downstream of the hot air supply unit 43, which is located most downstream in the transport direction. These heat shields 44, 45 suck gas near the outer peripheral surface of the adsorption roller 20. This prevents the hot air blown from the hot air supply units 41-43 from flowing beyond the heat shields 44, 45 to the upstream and downstream sides in the transport direction. Furthermore, they also prevent solvent vapor generated from the catalyst ink during drying from flowing beyond the heat shields 44, 45 to the upstream and downstream sides in the transport direction.

[0052] The attachment unit 50 is a site where a strip-shaped cover film 93 is attached to the surface of the electrolyte membrane 92 on which a layer of catalyst material 9b has been formed. The attachment unit 50 is located downstream of the drying furnace 40 in the direction in which the electrolyte membrane 92 is conveyed by the suction roller 20. As shown in FIG. 1 , the attachment unit 50 has a laminating roller 51, a film supply unit 52, and a bonded body recovery unit 53.

[0053] FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of the vicinity of the laminating roller 51. The laminating roller 51 is a roller that rotates around a horizontally extending axis. The laminating roller 51 has a cylindrical outer surface with a smaller diameter than the adsorption roller 20. The outer surfaces of the laminating roller 51 and the adsorption roller 20 face each other with a gap therebetween that allows the electrolyte membrane 92 and the cover film 93 to pass through. The laminating roller 51 is pressed toward the adsorption roller 20 by an air cylinder (not shown).

[0054] The laminating roller 51 is made of, for example, a metal with high thermal conductivity. A heater 511 that generates heat when electricity is applied is provided inside the laminating roller 51. A sheathed heater, for example, can be used as the heater 511. When electricity is applied to the heater 511, the heat generated by the heater 511 adjusts the temperature of the outer circumferential surface of the laminating roller 51 to a predetermined temperature higher than the ambient temperature. The temperature of the outer circumferential surface of the laminating roller 51 may be measured using a temperature sensor such as a radiation thermometer, and the output of the heater 511 may be controlled based on the measurement result so that the outer circumferential surface of the laminating roller 51 maintains a constant temperature.

[0055] Returning to FIG. 1 , film supply unit 52 has film unwinding roller 521 and third detection roller 522. Both film unwinding roller 521 and third detection roller 522 are arranged parallel to laminating roller 51. Before being supplied, cover film 93 is wound around film unwinding roller 521. Film unwinding roller 521 rotates by the power of a motor (not shown). When film unwinding roller 521 rotates, cover film 93 is unwound from film unwinding roller 521.

[0056] The cover film 93 is made of a resin that has higher mechanical strength and excellent shape retention than the electrolyte membrane 92. The cover film 93 is, for example, a film of PEN (polyethylene naphthalate) or PET (polyethylene terephthalate). The cover film 93 may be the same as the support film 91. Alternatively, the support film 91 taken up by the film take-up roller 131 may be unwound from the film unwinding roller 521 as the cover film 93.

[0057] The unwound cover film 93 changes direction upon contact with the outer peripheral surface of the third detection roller 522 and is transported toward the laminating roller 51. The third detection roller 522 measures the load received from the cover film 93 with a load cell, thereby detecting the tension applied to the cover film 93 in the film supply unit 52. The control unit 70, which will be described later, controls the rotation speed of the film unwinding roller 521 so that the tension of the cover film 93 detected by the third detection roller 522 becomes a preset value.

[0058] The cover film 93 that has passed the third detection roller 522 is introduced between the electrolyte membrane 92, which is attracted and held on the outer peripheral surface of the attraction roller 20, and the laminating roller 51. At this time, the cover film 93 is pressed against the electrolyte membrane 92 by the pressure from the laminating roller 51, and is heated by the heat of the laminating roller 51. As a result, the cover film 93 is attached to the outer surface of the electrolyte membrane 92. The catalyst material 9b formed on the surface of the electrolyte membrane 92 is sandwiched between the electrolyte membrane 92 and the cover film 93. In this way, a membrane-catalyst layer assembly 94 is formed, which is composed of the electrolyte membrane 92, the catalyst materials 9a and 9b, and the cover film 93.

[0059] The assembly recovery section 53 has an assembly take-up roller 531 and a fourth detection roller 532. Both the assembly take-up roller 531 and the fourth detection roller 532 are arranged parallel to the laminating roller 51. The membrane-catalyst layer assembly 94 that has passed between the attraction roller 20 and the laminating roller 51 is separated from the attraction roller 20 and transported toward the fourth detection roller 532. The membrane-catalyst layer assembly 94 then changes direction by coming into contact with the outer circumferential surface of the fourth detection roller 532, and is transported toward the assembly take-up roller 531.

[0060] The assembly take-up roller 531 is rotated by the power of a motor (not shown). As a result, the membrane-catalyst-layer assembly 94 is taken up by the assembly take-up roller 531. The fourth detection roller 532 measures the load received from the membrane-catalyst-layer assembly 94 with a load cell, thereby detecting the tension applied to the membrane-catalyst-layer assembly 94 in the assembly recovery unit 53. The control unit 70 (described later) controls the rotation speed of the assembly take-up roller 531 so that the tension of the membrane-catalyst-layer assembly 94 detected by the fourth detection roller 532 becomes a preset value.

[0061] The surface cooling unit 60 is a mechanism for cooling the outer peripheral surface of the attraction roller 20. The surface cooling unit 60 is disposed at a position facing the area of the outer peripheral surface of the attraction roller 20 that is between the bonding unit 50 and the introduction / peeling unit 10 and does not hold the electrolyte membrane 92. The surface cooling unit 60, for example, blows clean dry air that is lower in temperature than the ambient temperature (for example, about 5°C) onto the outer peripheral surface of the attraction roller 20. The attraction roller 20, which has been heated by the drying furnace 40 and the laminating roller 51, is cooled by receiving the clean dry air.

[0062] As described above, in the manufacturing apparatus 1 of this embodiment, the following steps are sequentially performed: unwinding the substrate 90 from the substrate unwinding roller 121, peeling the support film 91 from the electrolyte membrane 92, applying the catalyst ink to the electrolyte membrane 92, drying in the drying oven 40, and attaching the cover film 93 to the electrolyte membrane 92. In this manner, a membrane-catalyst layer assembly 94 for use in an electrode of a polymer electrolyte fuel cell is manufactured. The electrolyte membrane 92 is always held by the support film 91, the suction roller 20, or the cover film 93. This suppresses deformation of the electrolyte membrane 92, such as swelling and shrinkage, in the manufacturing apparatus 1.

[0063] In this embodiment, a conveying mechanism for conveying the substrate 90 in the longitudinal direction is constituted by the rollers of the unwinding section, namely, the substrate unwinding roller 121, the first detection roller 122, the peeling roller 11, the second detection roller 132, the film winding roller 131, the adsorption roller 20, the laminating roller 51, the fourth detection roller 532, and the winding section, namely, the joint body winding roller 531.

[0064] The conveying mechanism and the introduction peeling section 10 are an example of a configuration of a peeling device that peels the support film 91 from the electrolyte membrane 92. The conveying mechanism, the introduction peeling section 10, and the coating section 30 are an example of a configuration of a coating device that coats the electrolyte membrane 92 from which the support film 91 has been peeled with a catalyst material.

[0065] 4 is a block diagram showing the connection between the control unit 70 and each unit in the manufacturing apparatus 1. The control unit 70 is a device that controls the operation of each unit in the manufacturing apparatus 1. As shown in FIG. 4, the control unit 70 is configured by a computer having a processor 71 including a CPU, a memory 72 such as RAM, and a storage unit 73 such as a hard disk drive. A computer program P for executing the printing process is installed in the storage unit 73.

[0066] 4, the control unit 70 is communicatively connected to the motor of the substrate unwinding roller 121, the motor of the film take-up roller 131, the connection unit 14, the motor of the attraction roller 20, the suction mechanism of the attraction roller 20, the water supply mechanism of the attraction roller 20, the on-off valve 34 of the coating unit 30, the motor of the film unwinding roller 521, and the motor of the bonded body take-up roller 531. Although not shown, the control unit 70 is also communicatively connected to the load cell of the first detection roller 122, the load cell of the second detection roller 132, the three hot air supply units 41 to 43, the two heat blocking units 44 and 45, the heater 511, the load cell of the third detection roller 522, the load cell of the fourth detection roller 532, and the surface cooling unit 60.

[0067] The control unit 70 temporarily loads the computer program P and data stored in the storage unit 73 into the memory 72, and the processor 71 performs arithmetic processing based on the computer program P, thereby controlling the operation of each of the above-mentioned units. In this way, the manufacturing process of the membrane-catalyst layer assembly in the manufacturing apparatus 1 progresses.

[0068] <2. Conveying substrates in manufacturing equipment> Next, the transportation of the substrate when producing a membrane-catalyst layer assembly in the above-mentioned production apparatus 1 will be described.

[0069] The conveying mechanism of the manufacturing apparatus 1 conveys a long strip-shaped substrate 90 (hereinafter referred to as "main substrate 90") composed of two layers, a support film 91 and an electrolyte membrane 92, with dummy substrates 80 connected to the front and rear of the substrate. FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view of the main substrate 90 and dummy substrate 80 (connecting substrate 100) connected to each other, near the front end of the main substrate 90 in the conveying direction. FIG. 6 is a partial cross-sectional view of the main substrate 90 and dummy substrate 80 (connecting substrate 100) near the rear end of the main substrate 90 in the conveying direction. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the dummy substrate 80 is a long strip-shaped substrate formed by stacking the same number of layers as the main substrate 90 (in this embodiment, two layers, a first layer 81 and a second layer 82).

[0070] The thickness of the first layer 81 of the dummy substrate 80 is preferably approximately the same as the thickness of the support film 91 of the main substrate 90. The thickness of the second layer 82 of the dummy substrate 80 is preferably approximately the same as the thickness of the electrolyte membrane 92 of the main substrate 90. The thickness of the second layer 82 is preferably smaller than the thickness of the first layer 81. The first layer 81 and the second layer 82 can be made of a resin film such as PET (polyethylene terephthalate). The second layer 82 has an adhesive material on the surface that comes into contact with the first layer 81. The first layer 81 and the second layer 82 are releasably bonded to each other by this adhesive material. The adhesive strength of the adhesive material is preferably approximately the same as the bonding strength between the support film 91 and the electrolyte membrane 92 of the main substrate 90.

[0071] As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the main substrate 90 and the dummy substrate 80 are connected by a pair of connecting members 83, 83. One of the pair of connecting members 83 connects the support film 91 of the main substrate 90 to the first layer 81 of the dummy substrate 80. One of the pair of connecting members 83 is a member that connects an end of the main substrate 90 (first substrate) to an end of the dummy substrate 80 (second substrate). The connecting member 83 has a strip shape that extends in the width direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction. The connecting member 83 preferably has heat resistance (for example, 80°C or higher).

[0072] The connecting member 83 has a first portion P1, a second portion P2, and a third portion P3. The first portion P1 is a portion that adheres to the support film 91 of the main substrate 90. The second portion P2 is a portion that adheres to the first layer 81 of the dummy substrate 80. The third portion P3 is a portion that overlaps both the longitudinal ends of the support film 91 and the longitudinal ends of the first layer 81 in the thickness direction. In the example shown in FIG. 5, the third portion P3 of the connecting member 83 overlaps the gap 100S between the dummy substrate 80 and the main substrate 90 in the thickness direction.

[0073] As shown in FIG. 5, the connection member 83 has a tape substrate 84 and a first adhesive layer 85. The tape substrate 84 is, for example, a plastic film, preferably a heat-resistant film such as a polyimide film. The first adhesive layer 85 is made of an adhesive such as a heat-resistant silicone adhesive. The first adhesive layer 85 is a layer of adhesive material applied to the tape substrate 84. As shown in FIG. 5, the first portion P1 and the second portion P2 of the connection member 83 are adhered to the main substrate 90 and the dummy substrate 80, respectively, via the first adhesive layer 85.

[0074] The connecting member 83 further includes an anti-adhesive film 86. The anti-adhesive film 86 is a member that prevents the first adhesive layer 85 of the connecting member 83 from directly adhering to the main substrate 90 and the dummy substrate 80. The anti-adhesive film 86 is disposed between the tape substrate 84 and the main substrate 90 and between the tape substrate 84 and the dummy substrate 80 in the thickness direction. The anti-adhesive film 86 overlaps with the third portion P3 of the connecting member 83 in the thickness direction. The anti-adhesive film 86 overlaps with the ends of the dummy substrate 80 and the main substrate 90, and with the gap 100S between the dummy substrate 80 and the main substrate 90 in the thickness direction. The anti-adhesive film 86 has a strip shape that extends in the width direction. The anti-adhesive film 86 is, for example, a plastic film, and is preferably a heat-resistant film such as a polyimide film.

[0075] The connecting member 83 further includes a second adhesive layer 87. The second adhesive layer 87 is formed on one surface of the anti-adhesive film 86. The second adhesive layer 87 is a layer of an adhesive material, such as a heat-resistant silicone adhesive. The second adhesive layer 87 is formed by applying it to one surface of the anti-adhesive film 86. The second adhesive layer 87 adheres to the end of the dummy substrate 80 and the end of the main substrate 90. The adhesive strength of the second adhesive layer 87 is weaker than that of the first adhesive layer 85. Therefore, the adhesive strength of the third portion P3 (the adhesive strength of the second adhesive layer 87) is weaker than the adhesive strength of the first portion P1 and the adhesive strength of the second portion P2 (= the adhesive strength of the first adhesive layer 85). In this description, unless otherwise specified, "adhesive strength" refers to the adhesive strength to the support film 91 or the electrolyte membrane 92. The adhesive strength is measured by a 180° peel test in accordance with ISO 29862:2007.

[0076] When connecting member 83 is used, the connection between first layer 81 and electrolyte membrane 92 and between second layer 82 and support film 91 can be weakened compared to when an adhesive tape consisting of only tape substrate 84 and first adhesive layer 85 without anti-adhesive film 86 is used. This makes it possible to avoid a situation where, when first layer 81 is peeled from second layer 82 and then support film 91 is peeled from electrolyte membrane 92 in introduction peeling section 10, the electrolyte membrane 92 is pulled by first layer 81, making it impossible to peel support film 91 from electrolyte membrane 92.

[0077] Furthermore, when both surfaces of the main substrate 90 and the dummy substrate 80 are connected with the connecting members 83, even if one connecting member 83 adheres to the other connecting member 83 in the gap 100S, the adhesion occurs via the relatively weak second adhesive layer 87. In this case, the connecting members 83 are more easily peeled from each other than when the adhesion occurs via the relatively strong first adhesive layer 85. Therefore, the support film 91 can be properly peeled from the electrolyte membrane 92.

[0078] The adhesive strength of the second adhesive layer 87 is preferably smaller than the peeling force (for example, 1 N / cm) of the introduction peeling section 10. The adhesive strength of the second adhesive layer 87 is preferably 0.2 N / cm or less, and more preferably 0.1 N / cm or less. By making the adhesive strength of the second adhesive layer 87 smaller than the peeling force, even if the second adhesive layers 87 on both sides are stuck to each other, they can be easily peeled off.

[0079] The thickness of the second adhesive layer 87 is preferably smaller than the thickness of the member to which the connection member 83 is attached (for example, the support film 91 or electrolyte membrane 92 of the main substrate 90, or the first layer 81 or second layer 82 of the dummy substrate 80). Specifically, the thickness of the second adhesive layer 87 is preferably 20 μm or less, and more preferably 10 μm or less. By satisfying these conditions, it is possible to reduce adhesion of one second adhesive layer 87 to the other second adhesive layer 87. Therefore, after the first layer 81 is peeled from the second layer 82, the support film 91 can be smoothly peeled from the electrolyte membrane 92.

[0080] Furthermore, when the second adhesive layer 87 of the connecting member 83 on the support film 91 side (i.e., the second adhesive layer 87 adhering to the surface of the support film 91) is thinner than the support film 91, it is possible to reduce adhesion of the second adhesive layer 87 to the electrolyte membrane 92 on the opposite side. Furthermore, when the second adhesive layer 87 of the connecting member 83 on the electrolyte membrane 92 side (i.e., the second adhesive layer 87 adhering to the surface of the electrolyte membrane 92) is thinner than the electrolyte membrane 92, it is possible to reduce adhesion of the second adhesive layer 87 to the support film 91 on the opposite side. Therefore, it is possible to smoothly peel the support film 91 from the electrolyte membrane 92.

[0081] 7 is a flowchart showing the flow of substrate transport in the manufacturing apparatus 1. When starting production of a membrane-catalyst-layer assembly in the manufacturing apparatus 1, first, a roll-shaped dummy substrate 80 is set on the substrate unwinding roller 121 (step S1). Then, the dummy substrate 80 is unwound from the substrate unwinding roller 121, and the unwound portion of the dummy substrate 80 is laid over a transport path in the manufacturing apparatus 1 (step S2).

[0082] The first layer 81 of the dummy substrate 80 is stretched across the transport path along which the support film 91 should pass. That is, the first layer 81 passes through the gap between the peeling roller 11 and the attraction roller 20, the second detection roller 132, and is taken up by the film take-up roller 131. The second layer 82 of the dummy substrate 80 is stretched across the transport path along which the electrolyte membrane 92 should pass. That is, the second layer 82 passes through the gap between the peeling roller 11 and the attraction roller 20, the attraction roller 20, the laminating roller 51, and the fourth detection roller 532, and is taken up by the assembly take-up roller 531.

[0083] The longitudinal length of the dummy substrate 80 is preferably longer than the length of the longer of the transport path from the substrate unwinding roller 121 to the film winding roller 131 and the transport path from the substrate unwinding roller 121 to the joined body winding roller 531. In this way, the dummy substrate 80 can be stretched across the entire transport path within the manufacturing apparatus 1 before the main substrate 90 is transported.

[0084] Once the dummy substrate 80 has been laid over the entire manufacturing apparatus 1, the dummy substrate 80 is then cut at the connection unit 14. The cutting of the dummy substrate 80 may be performed automatically by a mechanism that operates based on commands from the control unit 70, or may be performed manually by a user of the manufacturing apparatus 1. Once cutting of the dummy substrate 80 is complete, the roll of dummy substrate 80 remaining on the substrate unwinding roller 121 is removed from the substrate unwinding roller 121. Next, a roll of main substrate 90 is set on the substrate unwinding roller 121 (step S3). Then, the main substrate 90 is unwound from the substrate unwinding roller 121, and at the connection unit 14, the front end of the main substrate 90 in the transport direction and the rear end of the dummy substrate 80 in the transport direction are connected (step S4).

[0085] In step S4, the main substrate 90 and the dummy substrate 80 are connected layer by layer. That is, the support film 91 of the main substrate 90 is connected to the first layer 81 of the dummy substrate 80, and the electrolyte membrane 92 of the main substrate 90 is connected to the second layer 82 of the dummy substrate 80. These substrates are connected by, for example, attaching a connecting member 83 across both substrates, as shown in FIG. 5. This forms a long, strip-shaped connecting substrate 100 in which the support film 91 and the first layer 81 are connected in the longitudinal direction, and the electrolyte membrane 92 and the second layer 82 are connected in the longitudinal direction.

[0086] The connection between the main substrate 90 and the dummy substrate 80 may be performed automatically by a mechanism that operates based on instructions from the control unit 70, or may be performed manually by a user of the manufacturing apparatus 1.

[0087] 5, when connecting the main substrate 90 and the dummy substrate 80 with the connecting member 83 at the connection portion 14, an anti-adhesive film 86 having a second adhesive layer 87 formed thereon may be first attached to the main substrate 90 and the dummy substrate 80. Then, a tape substrate 84 having a first adhesive layer 85 formed thereon may be attached to each of the dummy substrate 80 and the main substrate 90, straddling the anti-adhesive film 86. Because the anti-adhesive film 86 has adhesive strength, it can be easily attached to the joint between the dummy substrate 80 and the main substrate 90. Furthermore, by first attaching only the anti-adhesive film 86, the anti-adhesive film 86 can be attached to the joint with high precision.

[0088] Alternatively, a pre-prepared connecting member 83 may be attached to the dummy substrate 80 and the main substrate 90. That is, the connecting member 83 may be prepared in advance by adhering an anti-adhesive film 86 having a second adhesive layer 87 formed thereon to a first adhesive layer 85 formed on a tape substrate 84. By preparing the connecting member 83 in advance in this manner, the dummy substrate 80 and the main substrate 90 can be connected efficiently.

[0089] 7, after the connection of the dummy substrate 80 and the main substrate 90 is completed, conveyance of the connected substrate 100 in the manufacturing apparatus 1 begins (step S5). That is, by rotating the substrate unwinding roller 121, the film winding roller 131, the suction roller 20, the film unwinding roller 521, and the joined body winding roller 531, the connected substrate 100 is conveyed in the longitudinal direction with the dummy substrate 80 at the front.

[0090] After conveyance of the connecting substrate 100 begins, the dummy substrate 80 first passes through the gap between the peeling roller 11 and the adsorption roller 20, followed by the main substrate 90. Therefore, first, the first layer 81 is peeled from the second layer 82 of the dummy substrate 80, and then the support film 91 is peeled from the electrolyte membrane 92 of the main substrate 90 (step S6). Once the support film 91 is peeled off, the electrolyte membrane 92 is held by the adsorption roller 20 with its outer surface exposed. Then, as the adsorption roller 20 rotates, the electrolyte membrane 92 is conveyed toward the coating unit 30.

[0091] When the front end of the electrolyte membrane 92 in the transport direction reaches the coating unit 30, the coating unit 30 begins discharging catalyst ink (step S7). In this embodiment, the catalyst ink is coated onto the surface of the electrolyte membrane 92 at regular intervals in the transport direction. After passing through the coating unit 30, the electrolyte membrane 92 is transported further downstream by the suction roller 20 and enters the drying oven 40. In the drying oven 40, the coated catalyst ink dries. This forms a layer of catalyst material 9b on the surface of the electrolyte membrane 92. Thereafter, in the attachment unit 50, a cover film 93 is attached to the surface of the electrolyte membrane 92. The membrane-catalyst layer assembly 94 with the cover film 93 attached is then taken up by the assembly take-up roller 531.

[0092] In this way, with the manufacturing apparatus 1, by connecting the dummy substrate 80 to the front end of the main substrate 90 in the transport direction, the dummy substrate 80 is transported before the main substrate 90. This allows the catalyst ink to be applied from the front end of the electrolyte membrane 92 in the transport direction. Furthermore, application of the catalyst ink to the electrolyte membrane 92 can begin after the substrate transport speed has stabilized and the conditions of each processing section, such as the temperature of the hot air in the drying furnace 40, have stabilized. This makes it possible to reduce the portion of the electrolyte membrane 92 near its leading end that is not properly coated and is discarded.

[0093] As the substrate transport continues, eventually all of the main substrate 90 is unwound from the substrate unwinding roller 121. When the main substrate 90 is gone from the substrate unwinding roller 121, the control unit 70 stops each roller to stop the transport of the substrate and also stops the ejection of catalyst ink from the coating unit 30 (step S8). Then, the main substrate 90 is cut at the connection unit 14. The main substrate 90 may be cut automatically by a mechanism that operates based on commands from the control unit 70, or may be cut manually by a user of the manufacturing apparatus 1.

[0094] Next, the control unit 70 or the user determines whether there is a next main substrate 90 to be coated (step S9). If there is a next main substrate 90 to be coated, a new roll of main substrate 90 is set on the substrate unwinding roller 121 (step S10). Then, the new main substrate 90 is unwound from the substrate unwinding roller 121, and the front end of the new main substrate 90 in the conveyance direction is connected to the rear end of the cut main substrate 90 in the conveyance direction at the connecting unit 14 (step S11). The main substrates 90 may also be connected to each other by the connecting member 83. That is, the support films 91 of the main substrates 90 may be connected to each other by the connecting member 83, and the electrolyte membranes 92 may also be connected to each other by the connecting member 83.

[0095] Once the connection between the main substrates 90 is complete, transport of the main substrates 90 resumes, and the ejection of catalyst ink from the coating unit 30 also resumes (step S12). As a result, the catalyst ink is coated onto the remaining portion of the previous main substrate 90 (near the rear end in the transport direction), and then the catalyst ink is continuously coated onto the new main substrate 90. After that, the process returns to step S8, and steps S8 to S12 are repeated as long as there is a next main substrate 90 to be coated.

[0096] On the other hand, if there is no more main substrate 90 to be coated in step S9, a dummy substrate 80 is set on the substrate unwinding roller 121 (step S13). Then, the dummy substrate 80 is unwound from the substrate unwinding roller 121, and the front end of the dummy substrate 80 in the conveyance direction is connected to the rear end of the cut main substrate 90 in the conveyance direction at the connecting portion 14 (step S14).

[0097] In step S14, the dummy substrate 80 and the main substrate 90 are connected layer by layer. That is, as shown in FIG. 6, a first layer 81 of the dummy substrate 80 and a support film 91 of the main substrate 90 are connected by a connecting member 83, and a second layer 82 of the dummy substrate 80 and an electrolyte membrane 92 of the main substrate 90 are connected by another connecting member 83. These substrates are connected, for example, as shown in FIG. 5, by attaching a pair of connecting members 83 across both substrates. As a result, a long, strip-shaped connecting substrate 100 is formed in which the first layer 81 and the support film 91 are connected in the longitudinal direction, and the second layer 82 and the electrolyte membrane 92 are connected in the longitudinal direction.

[0098] The connection between the dummy substrate 80 and the main substrate 90 may be performed automatically by a mechanism that operates based on instructions from the control unit 70, or may be performed manually by a user of the manufacturing apparatus 1.

[0099] When the connection between the dummy substrate 80 and the main substrate 90 is complete, the manufacturing apparatus 1 resumes conveyance of the connecting substrate 100 and also resumes ejection of catalyst ink from the coating unit 30 (step S15). The connecting substrate 100 is conveyed in the longitudinal direction with the dummy substrate 80 at the rear. The coating unit 30 applies catalyst ink to the remaining portion of the main substrate 90 (near the rear end in the conveyance direction). Thereafter, when the front end of the dummy substrate 80 in the conveyance direction approaches the coating unit 30, the coating unit 30 stops ejecting catalyst ink (step S16). The manufacturing apparatus 1 then continues conveying the substrates until all of the electrolyte membranes 92 are taken up by the assembly take-up roller 531, and then stops conveying the substrates.

[0100] Thereafter, the dummy substrate 80 is cut at the connection portion 14. Then, the first layer 81 of the dummy substrate 80 hung on the transport path in the manufacturing apparatus 1 is collected onto the film take-up roller 131, and the second layer 82 of the dummy substrate 80 hung on the transport path in the manufacturing apparatus 1 is collected onto the bonded body take-up roller 531 (step S17).

[0101] As described above, in the manufacturing apparatus 1 of this embodiment, the dummy substrate 80 is connected to the rear end of the main substrate 90 in the transport direction. The dummy substrate 80 is then transported after the main substrate 90. This allows the catalyst ink to be applied up to the rear end of the electrolyte membrane 92 in the transport direction. Furthermore, after the application of the catalyst ink to the electrolyte membrane 92 is completed, the transport speed of the substrate can be slowed down. This reduces the portion of the electrolyte membrane 92 near its rear end that is not properly coated and is discarded.

[0102] <3. Modifications> Although the embodiments have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above and various modifications are possible.

[0103] <Modifications of the connecting member> For example, the configuration of the connecting member is not limited to the configuration of connecting member 83 shown in Fig. 5. Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing connecting member 83a according to a first modified example. In connecting member 83a, anti-adhesive film 86 contacts an end of main substrate 90 and an end of dummy substrate 80. In addition, second adhesive layer 87 is formed on the surface of anti-adhesive film 86 facing tape substrate 84, and second adhesive layer 87 adheres to first adhesive layer 85.

[0104] At the connecting member 83a, the adhesive force of the third portion P3 is zero. This further weakens the adhesive force between the connecting members 83a. This allows the support film 91 to be smoothly peeled off from the electrolyte membrane 92 at the introduction peeling section 10.

[0105] When connecting the dummy substrate 80 and the main substrate 90 via the connecting member 83a, first, an anti-adhesive film 86 on which the second adhesive layer 87 is formed and a tape substrate 84 on which the first adhesive layer 85 is formed are each produced. Next, the first adhesive layer 85 formed on the tape substrate 84 and the second adhesive layer 87 formed on the anti-adhesive film 86 are bonded together to produce the connecting member 83. Then, the connecting member 83 is bonded to the dummy substrate 80 and the main substrate 90.

[0106] In addition, after the dummy substrate 80 and the anti-adhesive film 86 having the second adhesive layer 87 formed on the main substrate 90 are arranged, the tape substrate 84 having the first adhesive layer 85 formed thereon may be attached to the dummy substrate 80, the anti-adhesive film 86 with the second adhesive layer 87, and the main substrate 90.

[0107] Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view showing a connecting member 83b according to a second modified example. The connecting member 83b has a configuration in which the second adhesive layer 87 is omitted from the connecting member 83a shown in Fig. 8. That is, in the connecting member 83b, one surface of the anti-adhesive film 86 contacts the dummy substrate 80 and the main substrate 90, and the other surface of the anti-adhesive film 86 (the surface on the tape substrate 84 side) is attached to the first adhesive layer 85. When the connecting member 83b is used, the same effect as when the connecting member 83a is used can be obtained.

[0108] 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a connecting member 83c according to a third modification. In the connecting member 83c, the first adhesive layer 85 is formed on the first portion P1 and the second portion P2, but is not formed on the third portion P3. The connecting member 83c can achieve the same effects as the connecting members 83a and 83b.

[0109] The connecting members 83a to 83c can also be used to connect main substrates 90 together, similar to connecting member 83. Also, connecting members with different configurations may be applied to one side and the other side of the connecting substrate 100. For example, in the connecting substrate 100, connecting member 83 may be used to connect the support film 91 of the main substrate 90 to the first layer 81 of the dummy substrate 80, and connecting member 83a may be used to connect the electrolyte membrane 92 of the main substrate 90 to the second layer 82 of the dummy substrate 80.

[0110] Furthermore, it is not essential that the connecting members 83 be adhered to both sides of the connecting substrate 100. FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a connecting substrate 100 according to a modified example. The connecting substrate 100 shown in FIG. 11 is formed by connecting a dummy substrate 80 to the rear end of a main substrate 90 in step S14 shown in FIG. 7. As in this connecting substrate 100, the connecting members 83 are adhered to the electrolyte membrane 92 of the main substrate 90 and the first layer 81 of the dummy substrate 80, and the connecting members 83 do not have to be adhered to the support film 91 side of the main substrate 90 (the second layer 82 side of the dummy substrate 80). Even if the connecting members 83 are adhered to only one side, the first adhesive layer 85, which has strong adhesive strength, is prevented from adhering to the support film 91 and the electrolyte membrane 92, allowing the support film 91 to be easily peeled off from the electrolyte membrane 92.

[0111] <Other variations> For example, in the above embodiment, the main substrate 90 is two layers, a support film 91 and an electrolyte membrane 92, and the dummy substrate 80 is also two layers, a first layer 81 and a second layer 82. However, the number of layers in the main substrate 90 may be three or more. In that case, the number of layers in the dummy substrate 80 may be the same as the number of layers in the main substrate 90. The main substrate 90 and the dummy substrate 80 may then be connected layer by layer. If the transport paths for the layers constituting the main substrate 90 are different, each layer constituting the dummy substrate 80 may be transported to the transport path along which the corresponding layer of the main substrate 90 should pass.

[0112] In the above embodiment, the dummy substrate 80 and the main substrate 90 are separately set on the substrate unwinding roller 121 in the manufacturing apparatus 1 and connected at the connection portion 14. However, the dummy substrate 80 and the main substrate 90 may be connected in advance at a different location to form the connected substrate 100. For example, in an apparatus that forms a layer of catalyst material 9a on one side of the electrolyte membrane 92, the dummy substrate 80 and the main substrate 90 may be connected, and the resulting connected substrate 100 may be set directly on the substrate unwinding roller 121 of the manufacturing apparatus 1 that forms a layer of catalyst material 9b on the other side of the electrolyte membrane 92.

[0113] Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 5, the connecting substrate 100 of the above embodiment has a gap 100S between the dummy substrate 80 and the main substrate 90, but this gap 100S does not have to be present.

[0114] In the above embodiment, the catalyst material 9b is formed on one side of the electrolyte membrane 92, on the other side of which a layer of the catalyst material 9a has already been formed. However, the manufacturing apparatus may also be configured to form the catalyst material on an electrolyte membrane that does not have a layer of the catalyst material formed on either the front or back side.

[0115] Furthermore, the detailed configuration of the manufacturing apparatus may differ from that shown in the drawings of the present application. Furthermore, the elements appearing in the above-described embodiments and modifications may be combined as appropriate within the scope of not causing any contradiction. [Explanation of symbols]

[0116] 1 Manufacturing equipment 9a,9a Catalyst material 10 Introduction peeling section 11 Peeling roller 20 Adsorption roller 30 Coating Department 51 Laminating roller 80 Dummy substrate (second substrate) 81 1st layer 82 2nd layer 83, 83a, 83b, 83c connecting members 84 Tape substrate 85 1st adhesive layer 86 Anti-adhesive film 87 Second adhesive layer 90 Base material (1st base material) 91 Support Film 92 Electrolyte membrane 94 Membrane / catalyst layer assembly 100 Connecting base material 121 Substrate unwinding roller 122 First detection roller 131 Film winding roller 132 Second detection roller 531 Joint winding roller 532 Fourth detection roller P1 Part 1 P2 2nd part P3 3rd part

Claims

1. a first substrate in the form of a long strip, in which a support film and an electrolyte membrane are laminated; a second substrate having a long strip shape in which the first layer and the second layer are laminated; a connecting member that connects the first base material and the second base material; Equipped with the connecting member has the first portion that adheres to the first substrate, the second portion that adheres to the second substrate, and a third portion that is positioned between the first portion and the second portion and overlaps an end of the first substrate and an end of the second substrate; The adhesive strength of the third portion is weaker than the adhesive strength of the first portion and the adhesive strength of the second portion.

2. The connecting substrate according to claim 1, The connecting member is a strip-shaped tape substrate; a first adhesive layer formed on one surface of the tape substrate; an anti-stick film positioned between the tape substrate and the first substrate; and The anti-stick film is located on the third portion.

3. The connecting substrate according to claim 2, the connecting member has a second adhesive layer formed on one surface of the adhesive-preventing film, the second adhesive layer adheres to an end of the first substrate and an end of the second substrate; The adhesive strength of the second adhesive layer is weaker than the adhesive strength of the first adhesive layer.

4. The connecting substrate according to claim 3, the second adhesive layer is adhered to a surface of the electrolyte membrane of the first substrate, The second adhesive layer is thinner than the electrolyte membrane.

5. The connecting substrate according to claim 3, the second adhesive layer is adhered to a surface of the support film of the first substrate, The second adhesive layer is thinner than the support film.

6. The connecting substrate according to claim 2, the connecting member has a second adhesive layer formed on one surface of the adhesive-preventing film, The second adhesive layer is adhered to the first adhesive layer.

7. The connecting substrate according to claim 2, The connecting substrate, wherein the first adhesive layer is formed on the first portion and the second portion, but is not formed on the third portion.

8. The connecting substrate according to claim 1 or claim 2, a first connecting member that is adhered to one surface of the first base material; a second connecting member that is adhered to the other surface of the first base material; A connecting substrate having:

9. The connecting substrate according to claim 1 or claim 2, The connecting member connects the first substrate and the second substrate in a state where an end of the first substrate is spaced apart from an end of the second substrate.

10. A peeling method comprising: a) conveying the connecting substrate according to claim 1 or 2 along its longitudinal direction; b) peeling the second layer of the first substrate from the first layer in the connecting substrate being transported in the step a), and then peeling the support film of the first substrate from the electrolyte membrane; A peeling method comprising:

11. A coating method comprising: a) conveying the connecting substrate according to claim 1 or 2 along its longitudinal direction; b) peeling the second layer of the first substrate from the first layer in the connecting substrate being transported in the step a), and then peeling the support film of the first substrate from the electrolyte membrane; c) applying a catalyst material to the surface of the electrolyte membrane from which the support film has been peeled off; A coating method comprising:

12. A peeling device, a conveying mechanism that conveys the connecting substrate according to claim 1 or 2 along its longitudinal direction; a peeling unit that peels the second layer of the first base material from the first layer and peels the support film of the second base material from the electrolyte membrane; A peeling device comprising:

13. A coating device comprising: a conveying mechanism that conveys the connecting substrate according to claim 1 or 2 in a longitudinal direction; a peeling unit that peels the second layer of the first base material from the first layer and peels the support film of the second base material from the electrolyte membrane; a coating unit that coats a catalyst material on the surface of the electrolyte membrane from which the support film has been peeled off; A coating device comprising:

14. A substrate bonding method, comprising: a step of connecting an end of a long strip-shaped first substrate, on which a support film and an electrolyte membrane are laminated, to an end of a long strip-shaped second substrate, on which a first layer and a second layer are laminated, using a connecting member; the connecting member has a first portion that adheres to the first base material, a second portion that adheres to the second base material, and a third portion that is positioned between the first portion and the second portion and overlaps an end of the first base material and an end of the second base material; The method for connecting substrates, wherein the adhesive strength of the third portion is weaker than the adhesive strength of the first portion and the adhesive strength of the second portion.

Images