| US 7,521,144 B2 | ||
| Membrane-electrode assembly for polymer electrolyte fuel cells, and polymer electrolyte fuel cell | ||
| Tetsuji Shimohira, Yokohama (Japan); Shinji Kinoshita, Yokohama (Japan); Hirokazu Wakabayashi, Yokohama (Japan); Ichiro Terada, Ayase (Japan); and Yoshihiro Hori, Ikoma (Japan) | ||
| Assigned to Asahi Glass Company, Limited, Tokyo (Japan); and Panasonic Corporation, Kadoma-shi (Japan) | ||
| Filed on Aug. 30, 2005, as Appl. No. 11/213,888. | ||
| Claims priority of application No. 2004-250241 (JP), filed on Aug. 30, 2004; application No. 2004-250271 (JP), filed on Aug. 30, 2004; and application No. 2004-250285 (JP), filed on Aug. 30, 2004. | ||
| Prior Publication US 2006/0046121 A1, Mar. 02, 2006 | ||
| Int. Cl. H01M 8/10 (2006.01); H01M 2/08 (2006.01) | ||
| U.S. Cl. 429—35 [429/30; 429/33] | 19 Claims |
| 1. A membrane-electrode assembly for polymer electrolyte fuel cells which comprises:
a polymer electrolyte membrane; and
electrodes disposed on both sides of the polymer electrolyte membrane;
wherein
the electrodes comprise:
catalyst layers containing a catalyst; and
gas diffusion layers, at least equal in size to the catalyst layers, disposed on the surfaces of the catalyst layers not in
contact with the polymer electrolyte membrane;
the polymer electrolyte membrane comprises:
a filled layer, and
resin layers consisting of an ion exchange resin, coated on both surfaces of the filled layer
a first central region having proton conductivity in the thickness direction of the polymer electrolyte membrane, wherein
the filled layer comprises a reinforcing material comprising void portions and the void portions are filled with the ion exchange
resin; and
a second region peripheral to the first central region wherein the filled layer comprises a non-perforated sheet coated on
both surfaces with the resin layers and having no proton conductivity in the thickness direction of the polymer electrolyte
membrane;
the electrodes have an outer edge located on the second region of the polymer electrolyte membrane; and
the gas diffusion layer support the catalyst layers.
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