83 results about "Polymer electrolyte fuel cells" patented technology

A method for activating a polymer electrolyte fuel cell according to an embodiment of the present invention is adapted to activate a polymer electrolyte fuel cell a membrane electrode assembly in which an anode electrode and a cathode electrode are opposed to each other with a solid polymer membrane interposed therebetween. The method includes pressurizing and feeding a hydrogen-containing humidification gas, which has been humidified, to the anode electrode and pressurizing and feeding an oxygen-containing humidification gas, which has been humidified, or a nitrogen-containing humidification inert gas, which has been humidified, to the cathode electrode, while heating the polymer electrolyte fuel cell at a set temperature in a predetermined range (preferably from 100° C. to 300° C., more preferably from 100° C. to 200° C., and still more preferably from 100° C. to 150° C.).

The invention relates to a polymer electrolyte fuel cell wherein a first reaction compartment and a second reaction compartment are separated from one another by two polymer electrolyte membrane layers. In this cell, the first and second reaction compartments are rolled up adjacently to one another to form a hollow cylinder, with the second reaction compartment being open and the first reaction compartment being gas-imperviously closed at the outer faces of the hollow cylinder. The first reaction compartment here is closed by the ends of the two polymer electrolyte membrane layers, said ends being gas-imperviously joined to one another. Arranged in the interior of the hollow cylinder is an inner housing which has at least one opening. The first reaction compartment is gas-imperviously joined to the inner housing in such a way that a gas can enter the first reaction compartment from the inner housing through the at least one opening. The hollow cylinder is surrounded by an outer housing which has at least one opening. The first reaction compartment is gas-imperviously joined to the outer housing in such a way that a gas can exit the first reaction compartment through the at least one opening ...

To improve the mechanical strength of hydrocarbon-based electrolyte membranes. [Solution] An electrolyte membrane 10A comprising a porous membrane 1 and a hydrocarbon-based electrolyte polymer filled in the pores 2 of the porous membrane 1, wherein the porous membrane 1 is formed of a material containing a hydrocarbon-based resin, and the differential permeate flow rate distribution of the porous membrane 1 measured by the bubble point method has a peak in the pore diameter range of 0.01 to 1 μm.

The present invention provides a film that exhibits better slipperiness, maintains sufficient durability under high temperature and high humidity conditions, and has improved mechanical properties compared to a film made solely of PPSU, and a reinforcing member for the electrolyte membrane of a polymer electrolyte fuel cell or polymer electrolyte water electrolysis using this film. [Solution] A film comprising 6 to 94 parts by mass of polyphenylsulfone and 94 to 6 parts by mass of polysulfone, wherein the arithmetic mean height (Sa) of at least one surface is 6.0 to 17.5 nm.

To provide a method for producing templated carbon material having oxidative wear resistance with high carbon yields and good yields, a method for producing a catalyst using the same, a method for producing a catalyst layer for a polymer electrolyte fuel cell, and a method for producing a fuel cell.SOLUTION: The present invention provides a method for producing templated carbon material using a carbon source satisfying the following requirement (A) and a template source satisfying the following requirement (B). The (A) carbon source is a mixture that comprises a low-molecular-weight compound A comprising two or more functional groups A and a low-molecular-weight compound B comprising two or more functional groups B, wherein at least one of the low-molecular-weight compound A and the low-molecular-weight compound B is an aromatic compound, wherein heating can form a chemical bond between the functional group A and the functional group B, forming a polymer compound comprising alternate bonds between the low-molecular-weight compound A and the low-molecular-weight compound B. The (B) template source is at least one selected from oxide, carbonate, sulfate, and hydroxide of magnesium and alkaline-earth metal.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Systems for creating electrodes for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells include an XY stage having a heated vacuum table physically coupled to the XY stage. The vacuum table has a working face with a plurality of channels formed therein to communicate vacuum pressure from a port coupled to a vacuum source to the channels. A sheet of perforated heat-conductive material has staggered holes configured to evenly distribute the vacuum pressure from the channels through the perforated sheet. A heat-conductive wire mesh is placed over the perforated sheet, and has openings smaller than the staggered holes such that a membrane material placed on the wire mesh is not deformed by the vacuum pressure. A nanopipette or micropipette coupled to a pump is configured to deposit electrode ink onto an exposed surface of the membrane material as the controller device causes the XY stage to move the vacuum table to control deposition of the electrode ink onto the surface of the membrane material.

The invention relates to a frame-shaped sub-gasket arrangement (1), comprising two plastic films (1a) firmly connected to one another and having a first side (A) and a second side (C), wherein the plastic films (1a) have a rectangular circumference (U) and a central rectangular opening (2) for receiving a rectangular membrane electrode unit (10), wherein the plastic films (1a) further have a plurality of fluid passage openings (3), and wherein an edge region (R) of the plastic films (1a) is folded over by 180° onto the first side (A) and / or onto the second side (C), at least in partial regions of their circumference (U). The invention further relates to an electrochemical cell (20), in particular a polymer electrolyte fuel cell, comprising at least one such frame-shaped sub-gasket arrangement (1) and a membrane electrode unit (10) connected to the frame-shaped sub-gasket arrangement (1).

The present invention provides a film having good slipperiness, sufficiently maintained durability under high temperature and high humidity, and improved mechanical characteristics as compared with a film of PPSU alone, and provides a reinforcing member that is for electrolyte membranes for solid polymer electrolyte fuel cells or solid polymer electrolyte water electrolysis and that uses said film. The present invention relates to a film containing 6-94 mass parts of polyphenylsulfone and 94-6 mass parts of polysulfone, the arithmetic average height (Sa) of at least one surface being 6.0-17.5 nm.

Provided are: a gas diffusion composite material for fuel cells, which has a thin layer and reduced resistance such as contact resistance; and a solid polymer fuel cell provided with the gas diffusion composite material for fuel cells. The present invention is a gas diffusion composite material for a fuel cell, the gas diffusion composite material comprising: a porous base sheet comprising a conductive material; and a microporous carbon layer containing a particulate and / or fibrous carbon material and a hydrophobic resin; the gas diffusion composite material for fuel cells has any one of the following structures (A)-(E). Structure (A): a structure in which the microporous carbon layer covers one surface of the porous base sheet; structure (B): a structure in which both surfaces of the porous base sheet are covered with the microporous carbon layer; structure (C): a structure in which the microporous carbon layer covers one surface of the porous base sheet and a portion of the microporous carbon layer permeates into the interior of the porous base sheet; structure (D): a structure in which the microporous carbon layer covers one surface of the porous base sheet and a portion of the microporous carbon layer permeates into the interior of the porous base sheet, the microporous carbon layer reaching from the one surface to the opposite surface of the porous base sheet; structure (E): a structure in which the porous base sheet is entirely embedded in the microporous carbon layer.

An electrode catalyst layer for a polymer electrolyte fuel cell includes catalyst particles, a polymer electrolyte, and a fibrous material. The catalyst particles each include an electroconductive support, a plurality of metal particles supported on the electroconductive support, an ionic liquid in contact with a surface of the metal particles and electroconductive support, and an inorganic film covering a surface of the metal particles and electroconductive support via the ionic liquid. The inorganic film contains Si. The ratio of the number of silicon atoms to the total number of atoms of carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, fluorine, silicon, sulfur, and platinum elements in the electrode catalyst layer, as obtained by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, is 0.5 at % or more and 10 at % or less.

To provide an electrode catalyst layer, a membrane electrode assembly, a polymer electrolyte fuel cell, and a method for manufacturing an electrode catalyst layer that can increase proton conductivity under standard conditions and high-humidity conditions with a simple configuration.SOLUTION: An electrode catalyst layer includes a conductive support 21 supporting a catalyst material 22, a polymer electrolyte 23, and a fibrous material 24 that is an electron-conductive fiber. The fibrous material 24 has a surface with irregularities 25, and the depth peak of the distribution of the depth of the irregularities is 10 nm or more and 50 nm or less, the width peak of the distribution of the width of the irregularities is 100 nm or more and 300 nm or less, and the product of the depth peak and the width peak is 10,000 or less.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

To suppress a decrease in power generation performance in a dry environment in a fuel cell system equipped with an open cathode polymer electrolyte fuel cell.SOLUTION: A fuel cell system includes an open-cathode polymer electrolyte fuel cell including an anode catalyst layer and a cathode catalyst layer, and a hydrogen gas supply device for supplying hydrogen gas to the anode catalyst layer. The cathode catalyst layer includes tin oxide-based particles as a cathode catalyst support. The fuel cell system may further include a humidifier for humidifying the hydrogen gas and / or a fan for introducing outside air to the cathode catalyst layer, wherein the humidifier and / or the fan are provided between the hydrogen gas supply device and the anode catalyst layer.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

The present invention provides a film electrode assembly with high carbon corrosion resistance. [Solution] The membrane electrode assembly comprises an anode-side electrode catalyst layer, a solid polymer electrolyte membrane, and a cathode-side electrode catalyst layer in this order. The anode-side electrode catalyst layer and the cathode-side electrode catalyst layer each contain catalyst particles, a carbon support carrying the catalyst particles, and a polymer electrolyte, and the volume density of the anode-side electrode catalyst layer is smaller than the volume density of the cathode-side electrode catalyst layer.

The present invention provides: a novel additive containing an ionic liquid that can be used for a composition for forming a cathode catalyst layer of a polymer electrolyte fuel cell; a novel composition for forming a cathode catalyst; and a novel cathode catalyst layer formed using the same.　The present invention relates to a composition for forming a cathode catalyst layer of a polymer electrolyte fuel cell, the composition containing an ionic liquid represented by formula (1). In the formula, X represents an atomic group containing a nitrogen atom or a phosphorus atom; Y represents a hydrogen atom, a carboxy group, or a sulfonic acid group; Z-represents a hydrogen sulfate anion, a trifluoromethanesulfonate anion, a bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide anion, a halogen anion, a tetrafluoroborate anion, a hexafluorophosphate anion, a bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide anion, or a nonafluorobutanesulfonate anion; and n represents an integer of 2-4.

The present invention provides an electrode catalyst which has excellent catalytic activity, and which can contribute to reducing the cost of a polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEFC). According to the present invention, an electrode catalyst includes a hollow carrier including nanopores having a pore size of 1 to 20 nm, and a plurality of catalyst particles. The catalyst particles are supported both inside and outside the nanopores of the carrier, and comprise (zero-valent) Pt, and when a particle size distribution analysis of the catalyst particles is carried out using a three-dimensional reconstructed image obtained by electron beam tomography measurement employing STEM, the conditions of formula (S1): 100×(N10 / N20)≤8.0 are satisfied (in the formula, N10 is the number of noble metal particles not in contact with a pore having a pore size of 1 nm or more, and N20 is the number of catalyst particles supported inside the nanopores of the carrier).

The present invention addresses the problem of suppressing any lowering of durability in a carrier of a catalyst layer. This electroconductive titanium oxide has an electroconductivity of 0.1 S / cm or greater as measured under a pressure of 10 MPa.

A membrane electrode assembly includes an electrolyte layer, and a catalyst layer that includes particles carrying a catalyst metal and is positioned on a first surface of the electrolyte layer. The membrane electrode assembly includes a symbol containing therein encoded information required for manufacture of the membrane electrode assembly. The symbol is a discolored laser trace in the electrolyte layer, and is disposed in an edge of the first surface where the catalyst layer is not positioned.

A cathode catalyst layer and an anode catalyst layer used for a membrane-electrode assembly in a polymer electrolyte fuel cell, wherein the cathode catalyst layer and the anode catalyst layer each include catalyst particles, a conductive carrier, a polymer electrolyte, and a fibrous material, the fibrous material includes at least one of an electron conductor and a proton conductor, and the fibrous material has a specific surface area in a range of 40 m2 / g or more and 80 m2 / g or less.

A gasket member for a polymer electrolyte fuel cell is provided, which has excellent resistance to hydrolysis in a high-temperature environment. [Solution] A gasket component for a polymer electrolyte fuel cell, which is composed of a laminate having at least a base layer and adhesive layers arranged on both sides of the base layer, and which has a breaking elongation retention rate of 60% or more after being left standing in water at 120°C for 300 hours.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide an electrode catalyst layer, a membrane electrode assembly, and a solid polymer fuel cell, which are capable of improving material transport properties and proton conductivity in the electrode catalyst layer, and which are capable of exhibiting high power generation performance over the long term and have good durability. An electrode catalyst layer (10) is an electrode catalyst layer used in a solid polymer fuel cell, and includes: a catalyst material (12); a conductive carrier (13) that supports the catalyst material (12); a polymer electrolyte (14); and a fibrous material (15), wherein the fibrous material (15) contains a substance having a nitrogen atom, and is included in an amount of 1-12 wt% (exclusive of 12) in the electrode catalyst layer (10).

Provided is a catalyst-supporting carbon which has high initial activity and excellent durability. A catalyst-supporting carbon in which catalyst particles comprising platinum or a platinum alloy having a crystallite size of 2.5 nm to 5.0 nm and a catalyst surface area of 40 m < 2 > / g to 80 m < 2 > / g are supported on a carbon carrier having a crystallite size of 3.5 nm to 9 nm, a BET specific surface area of 300 m < 2 > / g to 450 m < 2 > / g, and a pore diameter of 5.0 nm to 20.0 nm.

The C / SiC composite particle contains a porous carbon particle and SiC particles distributed on the inner wall surface of the pores of the porous carbon particle. Such a C / SiC composite particle can be obtained by: producing a silica / carbon composite A by causing carbon to be deposited within the pores of a porous silica particle; producing a silica / carbon composite B by removing a portion of the silica from the silica / carbon composite A; heat-treating the silica / carbon composite B to graphitize the carbon; and simultaneously generating SiC. The electrode catalyst contains C / SiC composite particles and catalyst particles supported on the surface of the C / SiC composite particles. Furthermore, a polymer electrolyte fuel cell contains such an electrode catalyst as a cathode catalyst or an anode catalyst.

Disclosed is a carbon material for a catalyst carrier of a polymer electrolyte fuel cell, the carbon material being composed of porous activated carbon black that satisfies requirements (A) to (C).　(A) The volume of pores having a pore diameter of 2 nm to 6 nm inclusive is 0.1 mL / g to 0.7 mL / g inclusive.　(B) The ratio (OSA / SBET) of the outside specific surface area OSA to the BET specific surface area SBET is 0.1 to 0.5 inclusive.　(C) Lc (002) obtained from the line width of the (002) diffraction line is 1.6 nm to 4.0 nm inclusive.

The present invention provides an electrode catalyst layer, a membrane electrode assembly, and a polymer electrolyte fuel cell that can enhance power generation performance over a wide load range by suppressing catalyst poisoning and improving proton transport using ionomers. [Solution] The electrode catalyst layer 12C of the air electrode includes a catalyst support 20 which is a porous carbon support 21 supporting a catalyst substance 23, and a polymer electrolyte 24, and the ECSA ratio, which is the ratio of ECSA at a relative humidity of 30% to ECSA at a relative humidity of 100%, is 0.55 or more and 0.65 or less. The catalyst support 20 includes a first catalyst support 20a which has an ECSA ratio of 0.5 or less when used alone as the catalyst support 20 included in the electrode catalyst layer 12C, and a second catalyst support 20b which has an ECSA ratio of 0.7 or more when used alone as the catalyst support 20 included in the electrode catalyst layer 12C.

The present invention provides: a carbon material for a catalyst support of a polymer electrolyte fuel cell, said carbon material being composed of porous activated carbon black and satisfying the following requirements (A) to (D); a catalyst layer using the same; and a fuel cell.　(A) The adsorption amount at a relative pressure of 0.1 is 100 mL / g to 250 mL / g.　(B) The nitrogen adsorption amount for pores having a pore diameter of 2 nm to 6 nm as obtained by subtracting the nitrogen adsorption amount at a relative pressure of 0.218 from the nitrogen adsorption amount at a relative pressure of 0.671 is 50 mL / g to 300 mL / g.　(C) The difference obtained by subtracting the adsorption amount at a relative pressure of 0.8 according to an adsorption isotherm from the adsorption amount at a relative pressure of 0.8 according to a desorption isotherm is 50 mL / g or less.　(D) The line width of a peak appearing near 1580 cm-1 in a Raman spectrum is 70 cm-1 to 84 cm-1.

The present invention provides an anode catalyst for polymer electrolyte fuel cells that exhibits superior resistance to CO catalyst poisoning and better durability compared to PtRu alloy catalysts. [Solution] The present invention relates to an anode catalyst for a polymer electrolyte fuel cell having catalyst particles for processing a fuel gas containing carbon monoxide (CO). The present invention is characterized by the application of catalyst particles composed of Pt and Ir. PtIr is a more suitable catalyst particle than PtRu, which has been known to have superior CO catalyst toxicity resistance. These catalyst particles include regions on their surface where four or more Ir atoms are adjacent and clustered.

The present invention provides a membrane electrode assembly which has improved cell characteristics over a long period of time. The membrane electrode assembly comprises a cathode gas diffusion layer, a cathode catalyst layer, a solid polymer electrolyte membrane, an anode catalyst layer, and an anode gas diffusion layer. The cathode catalyst layer comprises catalyst particles that contain platinum. At least one among the cathode gas diffusion layer, the anode catalyst layer, and the anode gas diffusion layer contains at least one melamine-based compound that is a compound represented by chemical formula (1), a salt of the compound, or a polymer of the compound. In chemical formula (1), R1 to R3 are each independently an amino group, an alkyl group, an alkylamino group, a thioalkylamino group, or an alkylaminosulfonic acid group.　

The present invention relates to methods for hydrophobizing a gas diffusion layer for a polymer electrolyte fuel cell, comprising applying a hydrophobic impregnation to the gas diffusion layer. The hydrophobic impregnation is formed by in-situ crosslinking of a hydrophobic, fluorine-free or low-fluorine polymer. The invention further relates to a gas diffusion layer with a hydrophobic impregnation for a polymer electrolyte fuel cell, which is produced by this method.

An electrocatalyst layer that is usable in contact with a polyelectrolyte membrane, including catalyst-supporting particles, polyelectrolyte containing fluorine atoms, and two or more types of fibrous materials, wherein the catalyst-supporting particles each contain a support and a catalyst supported by the support; the fibrous materials contain at least one type of a conductive fibrous material and at least one type of a non-conductive fibrous material; and when a content of the supports is 100 parts by mass, a content of the conductive fibrous material is 5 parts by mass or more and 50 parts by mass or less, and a content of the non-conductive fibrous material 24 is 5 parts by mass or more and 20 parts by mass or less.