113 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.).

A catalyst composition comprising a polymer compound having a structure represented by the following general formula (I), a catalyst, and a catalyst support, and a polymer compound having a structure represented by the following general formula (I): wherein n is 1 to 2, o is 1 to 3, and p is 0 to 3, wherein the relationship: o + p ≤ 4 is satisfied, and each of B and C is independently a group having at least one member selected from the group consisting of an alkyl group, an alkyl group having an ether linkage, a cycloalkyl group, and an aromatic group, which is bonded to ring A through a single heteroatom, or a heterocycle having a heteroatom therein bonded to ring A, and the heterocycle and group of B and C optionally have a substituent, wherein B and C are the same or different, at least one of B and C has an aromatic ring, and at least one aromatic ring of B and C has at least one sulfonic acid group, and wherein carbons of ring A, except the carbons bonded to the principal chain and the carbons to which B and C are bonded, are optionally substituted by a halogen atom.

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.

This invention provides membranes including a polymer having dispersed therein a plurality of microporous particles. The membranes improve mass transport in polymer electrolyte fuel cells.

In order to specify an anode module (1) for a polymer electrolyte fuel cell system (5), comprising at least one inlet (2) for introducing operating gas into an operating gas line (3) and an anode outlet (4) for connection to an anode inlet (6) of the polymer electrolyte fuel cell system (5), which, while avoiding the disadvantages of the prior art, enables the most durable and efficient operation of a PEM fuel cell even when starting up from idle, it is proposed that control means (22) for controlling the hydrogen partial pressure at the anode outlet (4) depending on operating parameters of the polymer electrolyte fuel cell system (5) are provided.

In order to specify an anode module (1) for a polymer electrolyte fuel cell system (5), comprising at least one inlet (2) for introducing operating gas into an operating gas line (3) and an anode outlet (4) for connection to an anode inlet (6) of the polymer electrolyte fuel cell system (5), which, while avoiding the disadvantages of the prior art, enables the most durable and efficient operation of a PEM fuel cell even when starting up from idle, it is proposed that control means (22) for controlling the hydrogen partial pressure at the anode outlet (4) depending on operating parameters of the polymer electrolyte fuel cell system (5) are provided.

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.

To provide a hot melt adhesive sheet capable of simultaneously realizing: an adhesive layer sufficiently embedding an outer edge of a solid electrolyte membrane of a polymer electrolyte fuel cell, after adhering the adhesive layer onto the solid electrolyte membrane; and a prevention of uneven thickness of the adhesive layer.SOLUTION: A hot melt adhesive sheet 10 includes an adhesive layer 10b formed with a hot melt adhesive, laminated at least on one side of a base material 10a. The hot melt adhesive includes a cross-linked product of an adhesive composition including a cross-linking agent. The adhesive composition includes a polyester resin, an epoxy resin and an isocyanate-based cross-linking agent. The epoxy resin includes a bisphenol type epoxy resin and a rubber-modified epoxy resin. The bisphenol type epoxy resin has an epoxy equivalent of 450 to 1000 g / eq, inclusive.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

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 either electrode material (A) or electrode material (B). An electrode material being an electrode material (A) including a porous composite support including, a carbon support formed of mesoporous carbon having an internal surface inside pores and an external surface outside the pores, and an electron conducting oxide adhered to at least the internal surface inside the pores of the mesoporous carbon, and electrode catalyst particles supported on the porous composite support, in which some or all of the electrode catalyst particles are supported via the electron conducting oxide in the pores of the mesoporous carbon; or an electrode material (B) including a carbon support formed of mesoporous carbon having an internal surface inside pores and an external surface outside the pores, and an electrode catalyst composite body adhered to at least the internal surface inside the pores of the mesoporous carbon, in which the electrode catalyst composite body includes electrode catalyst particles and an electron conducting oxide, and the electron conducting oxide fills gaps between the electrode catalyst particles.

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 provide a membrane electrode assembly for a polymer electrolyte fuel cell, which prevents the occurrence of interlayer delamination between a solid polymer electrolyte membrane and a gas diffusion layer.SOLUTION: A membrane electrode assembly for a polymer electrolyte fuel cell includes, from one bipolar plate to the other bipolar plate, (1) a self-supporting moisture management sheet having a conductive nonwoven fabric containing fibers having an average fiber diameter of 3 μm or less, (2) a first catalyst layer, (3) a solid polymer electrolyte membrane, (4) a second catalyst layer, (5) a moisture management layer in contact with the second catalyst layer, and (6) a gas diffusion layer, and the interlayer peel strength between the solid polymer electrolyte membrane and the gas diffusion layer is 0.001 N or more.SELECTED DRAWING: None

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.

A catalyst layer for polymer electrolyte fuel cells that improves drainage or gas diffusion, reduces or prevents the occurrence of cracking in a catalyst layer, enhances catalyst utilization efficiency, exerts high output power and high energy conversion efficiency, and has high durability, and also provides a membrane-electrode assembly and a polymer electrolyte fuel cell using the catalyst layer. The catalyst layer for polymer electrolyte fuel cells contains a catalyst, carbon particles, a polymer electrolyte, and a fibrous material. In the catalyst layer, the carbon particles carry the catalyst1. The catalyst layer for polymer electrolyte fuel cells has voids. The percentage of frequencies of the voids having a cross-sectional area of 10,000 nm2 or more is 13% or more and 20% or less among the voids observed in a thickness-direction cross section of the catalyst layer for polymer electrolyte fuel cells perpendicular to the surface thereof.

Disclosed is a carbon material for catalyst carriers of polymer electrolyte fuel cells, the carbon material being composed of a porous activated carbon black that satisfies the requirements described below. (F) The BET specific surface area (m2 / g) is 400 to 1200. (G) If Σ2-6 is the integrated value of the pore volumes of pores having a pore diameter of not less than 2 nm but less than 6 nm in the mesopore distribution, Σ2-6 is not less than 0.20 but less than 0.70. (H) If Σ2-6 is the integrated value of the pore volumes of pores having a pore diameter of not less than 2 nm but less than 6 nm and Σ6-10 is the integrated value of the pore volumes of pores having a pore diameter of not less than 6 nm but less than 10 nm in the mesopore distribution, Σ6-10 / Σ2-6 is 0.120 to 0.500. (I) If ID is the intensity of the D-band and IG is the intensity of the G-band in the Raman spectrum, ID / IG is 1.20 to 2.20.

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.