CATALYST INK AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING MEMBRANE ELECTRODE GAS DIFFUSION LAYER ASSEMBLY

• Main Author: TAKEHIRA YUICHI
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 16.05.2013
• Subjects: BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS; CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION ORPROCESSING OF GOODS; ELECTRICITY; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSIONOF CHEMICAL INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS; TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINSTCLIMATE CHANGE

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve adhesive strength between a MEA and a gas diffusion layer, and durability of the MEA.SOLUTION: A catalyst ink used for a catalyst layer is prepared (a step S10). An ionomer included in the catalyst ink is partly adsorbed on surfaces of catalyst support particles included in the catalyst ink (the adsorbed ionomer), and the remaining ionomer is not adsorbed on the catalyst support particles (the non-adsorbed ionomer), but is in the catalyst ink. An amount of the non-adsorbed ionomer in the catalyst ink is varied according to a time necessary for dispersion thereof. A weight Wof the non-adsorbed ionomer in the catalyst ink is included within the range of 0.45×W≤W≤0.60×W, where Wrepresents a weight of conductive particles in the catalyst ink. Each catalyst layer is formed using the catalyst ink satisfying the range (a step S12); the catalyst layer is transferred to an electrolyte membrane (a step S14); a MPL is pressed on the catalyst layer transferred to the electrolyte membrane (a step S16).